WORD IS NFL OWNERS ABOUT TO RUN THE LEAGUE OFF A CLIFF & YET ANOTHER BUCKEYE INVESTIGATION
I hate talking about this NFL labor strife, I really do. I'd much rather be talking about all the undrafted free agents signing around the league or what impact the unrestricted free agents will make with the teams that have signed them. But I can't because none of that is happening thanks to this standoff between the owners & players that only seems to worsen as time passes. I just keep my ear to the ground, listening for something positive. Yeah, that's likely. A rumor I caught wind of that's floating around the league & by some of the pro football media is frightening. I sincerely hope it's not true, but there have been several reports as to it's veracity & none discount the theory. It goes like this, the league owners have in their legal arsenal a "nuclear option" to shutdown the entire league, essentially like the players did when they de-certified the NFLPA. It is reported that some of the owners believe this is the only way to force the players back to the bargaining table. So run the league off a cliff & that will save it? If the league shuts down, in other words, they cease doing business at any level, this will scare the players into some sort of a compromise that favors ownership. I'm not buying into this plan.
I have to say this might be one of the poorest strategies I could ever imagine. Talk about a bad public relations' move. Think the fans will take this well if it's executed? Yeah, there will be football again, sometime, but until then, we're going to cease doing business. We'll show those players. Do they intend to compound the bad feelings by laying off most of their employees? That would certainly send a message that ownership is serious. The leadership on both sides couldn't be more lame if this is what we've come to, "I'm going to take my toys & go home."
I just can't see this as an effective plan. Laying off over a thousand middle class worker bees employed at the team level is not the way to get a larger percentage of fans to come over to your side in this battle. As long as 31 teams(not the Giants) continue to receive season ticket payments they can stash away & accrue interest, I can't see them cutting off millions of dollars in monthly income. I do see a chasm developing, one that widens almost daily & threatens the start of the regular season on time. I never thought both sides could be so friggin' selfish, but I'm beginning to think I was wrong.
The Association of American Universities, the academic group that consists of 62 BCS schools, just shrunk by two. Syracuse dropped out without a fight & despite a "never say die" attitude, the University of Nebraska was voted out of the exclusive club. This is really embarrassing because if you will recall when all of the "Mizzou to the Big Ten" talk first started up, the conference made it clear any potential add-ons would have to be a member of this Association. So after turning it's back on Mizzou, the Big Ten decided it wanted Nebraska instead. The Huskers certainly have a rich football tradition & were members in good standing of a very important academic association. At least they were until recently. So now what does the Big Ten think of Nebraska's ouster? There has been no comment on allowing a "sub-standard" academic institution to be a part of the Big Ten. But then Commissioner Bill Hancock, also executive director of the BCS, has his hands full with the Department of Justice official inquiry about the usefulness & legality of the BCS. Hancock has Ohio State's "Tattoo-Gate" still being investigated by the NCAA & now he has another mess to deal with. Who could possibly be in trouble this time? Well none other than those Ohio State Buckeyes. If any of this investigation sees the light of day, I can't see a way Jim Tressell keeps his job as head coach. He may not be to blame if some of these allegations are true, but it's time the captain went down with the ship.
I'm pretty good at basic mathematics, I've always been good at figuring odds, see if any of this makes mathematical sense.
A car salesman, we'll call him Aaron Kniffin, worked for two different Chevrolet dealerships in Columbus during the years 2007 to 2009. Those two dealerships sell 54 used cars to OSU football players & a few of their family members. Kniffin makes 29 of those sales himself. Kniffin is given football tickets to 7 different home games over this time frame as well as tickets to the Fiesta Bowl & the BCS Championship game.
After careful investigation, several of these cars sold to players or family members were sold at a reduced rate. Like zero dollars, that's right several titles show $0 on the price paid for the car.
Did I mention all of the family members who bought cars from Kniffin were from out of state? Yeah, folks came from as far away as New Jersey(Terrelle Pryor's mom & brother), South Carolina & Maryland. I know if I could get a deal on a used car, driving 700-800 miles to get that deal is smart business. Buckeye linebacker Thaddeus Gibson had a car with a $0 price tag. A clunker you say? How about a 2-year old Chrysler 300 with less than 20,000 miles on it? He said he paid a down payment on the car & continues making payments. Unfortunately he couldn't produce the name of the lender & then he clammed up refusing any more questions.
Did I mention Kniffin is currently at large, wanted on an open warrant by the I.R.S. for being delinquent in paying some $137,000 in back taxes? How about his $540,000 Columbus area home currently in foreclosure, did I mention that?
Did I mention most of these players got these cars for a 21-day free trial before the sale was executed? Did other customers at these dealerships get a similar 21-day free trial? The word on the street is they did not.
In the understatement of the week, OSU's Assistant Athletic Director & Chief Compliance officer, Doug Archie, said "from a compliance perspective, this is a problem I'd rather not have." Really Doug? Think this might be a tough one to beat? His dual responsibilities for the university should speak volumes as to how jacked up things are in Buckeye land. How does your compliance officer also function as your Ass't. A.D? Talk about conflict of interest.
So back to the mathematics portion of my story. How many of you believe Aaron Kniffin is just a victim of circumstances? Him being a fugitive from justice is just a coincidence? That pesky I.R.S. beef & the foreclosure are both trumped up accusations? What are the odds the answer to all three questions is "yes."
What are the odds a commissioned sales person, Aaron Kniffin, sold 29 used cars to OSU football players or their family & all 29 were below-Kelly Blue Book deals? What are the odds he had the same percentage of low ball deals with non-athletes & their family members? What are the odds those free tickets to home games, bowl games & the BCS Championship weren't a part of these deals?
My answer to those three questions would be less than 10%, less than 1% & less than 5%. Now for you readers who are better at cypherin' than me, should you come up with different answers, let me know if we're far apart. I strive to keep my math pretty damn accurate.
How many of you can see the dreaded NCAA violation of "Lack of Institutional Control" in Ohio State's future? Probation, loss of scholarships, hell forget Aaron Kniffin, it will be just like having Lane Kiffin in charge of the Buckeye program won't it? Coupled with the "Tattoo-Gate" mess Jim Tressell finds himself in, I could see a new coach, athletic director & compliance officer coming sooner than later.
I have to say this might be one of the poorest strategies I could ever imagine. Talk about a bad public relations' move. Think the fans will take this well if it's executed? Yeah, there will be football again, sometime, but until then, we're going to cease doing business. We'll show those players. Do they intend to compound the bad feelings by laying off most of their employees? That would certainly send a message that ownership is serious. The leadership on both sides couldn't be more lame if this is what we've come to, "I'm going to take my toys & go home."
I just can't see this as an effective plan. Laying off over a thousand middle class worker bees employed at the team level is not the way to get a larger percentage of fans to come over to your side in this battle. As long as 31 teams(not the Giants) continue to receive season ticket payments they can stash away & accrue interest, I can't see them cutting off millions of dollars in monthly income. I do see a chasm developing, one that widens almost daily & threatens the start of the regular season on time. I never thought both sides could be so friggin' selfish, but I'm beginning to think I was wrong.
The Association of American Universities, the academic group that consists of 62 BCS schools, just shrunk by two. Syracuse dropped out without a fight & despite a "never say die" attitude, the University of Nebraska was voted out of the exclusive club. This is really embarrassing because if you will recall when all of the "Mizzou to the Big Ten" talk first started up, the conference made it clear any potential add-ons would have to be a member of this Association. So after turning it's back on Mizzou, the Big Ten decided it wanted Nebraska instead. The Huskers certainly have a rich football tradition & were members in good standing of a very important academic association. At least they were until recently. So now what does the Big Ten think of Nebraska's ouster? There has been no comment on allowing a "sub-standard" academic institution to be a part of the Big Ten. But then Commissioner Bill Hancock, also executive director of the BCS, has his hands full with the Department of Justice official inquiry about the usefulness & legality of the BCS. Hancock has Ohio State's "Tattoo-Gate" still being investigated by the NCAA & now he has another mess to deal with. Who could possibly be in trouble this time? Well none other than those Ohio State Buckeyes. If any of this investigation sees the light of day, I can't see a way Jim Tressell keeps his job as head coach. He may not be to blame if some of these allegations are true, but it's time the captain went down with the ship.
I'm pretty good at basic mathematics, I've always been good at figuring odds, see if any of this makes mathematical sense.
A car salesman, we'll call him Aaron Kniffin, worked for two different Chevrolet dealerships in Columbus during the years 2007 to 2009. Those two dealerships sell 54 used cars to OSU football players & a few of their family members. Kniffin makes 29 of those sales himself. Kniffin is given football tickets to 7 different home games over this time frame as well as tickets to the Fiesta Bowl & the BCS Championship game.
After careful investigation, several of these cars sold to players or family members were sold at a reduced rate. Like zero dollars, that's right several titles show $0 on the price paid for the car.
Did I mention all of the family members who bought cars from Kniffin were from out of state? Yeah, folks came from as far away as New Jersey(Terrelle Pryor's mom & brother), South Carolina & Maryland. I know if I could get a deal on a used car, driving 700-800 miles to get that deal is smart business. Buckeye linebacker Thaddeus Gibson had a car with a $0 price tag. A clunker you say? How about a 2-year old Chrysler 300 with less than 20,000 miles on it? He said he paid a down payment on the car & continues making payments. Unfortunately he couldn't produce the name of the lender & then he clammed up refusing any more questions.
Did I mention Kniffin is currently at large, wanted on an open warrant by the I.R.S. for being delinquent in paying some $137,000 in back taxes? How about his $540,000 Columbus area home currently in foreclosure, did I mention that?
Did I mention most of these players got these cars for a 21-day free trial before the sale was executed? Did other customers at these dealerships get a similar 21-day free trial? The word on the street is they did not.
In the understatement of the week, OSU's Assistant Athletic Director & Chief Compliance officer, Doug Archie, said "from a compliance perspective, this is a problem I'd rather not have." Really Doug? Think this might be a tough one to beat? His dual responsibilities for the university should speak volumes as to how jacked up things are in Buckeye land. How does your compliance officer also function as your Ass't. A.D? Talk about conflict of interest.
So back to the mathematics portion of my story. How many of you believe Aaron Kniffin is just a victim of circumstances? Him being a fugitive from justice is just a coincidence? That pesky I.R.S. beef & the foreclosure are both trumped up accusations? What are the odds the answer to all three questions is "yes."
What are the odds a commissioned sales person, Aaron Kniffin, sold 29 used cars to OSU football players or their family & all 29 were below-Kelly Blue Book deals? What are the odds he had the same percentage of low ball deals with non-athletes & their family members? What are the odds those free tickets to home games, bowl games & the BCS Championship weren't a part of these deals?
My answer to those three questions would be less than 10%, less than 1% & less than 5%. Now for you readers who are better at cypherin' than me, should you come up with different answers, let me know if we're far apart. I strive to keep my math pretty damn accurate.
How many of you can see the dreaded NCAA violation of "Lack of Institutional Control" in Ohio State's future? Probation, loss of scholarships, hell forget Aaron Kniffin, it will be just like having Lane Kiffin in charge of the Buckeye program won't it? Coupled with the "Tattoo-Gate" mess Jim Tressell finds himself in, I could see a new coach, athletic director & compliance officer coming sooner than later.
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