BUCKEYES THROW THEMSELVES UNDER THE BUS, 8TH CIRCUIT HANDS DOWN THEIR DECISION, OREGON BEGINS CLEANING HOUSE & IS ROY WILLIAMS THE LEAST ROMANTIC GUY IN THE COUNTRY?
In an attempt to possibly lessen the coming NCAA storm, Ohio State effectively threw themselves under the bus. The first thing they did was to sacrifice their old coach, Jim Tressel, saying the blame fell squarely upon his sweater-vested shoulders. Even Tressel's most loyal supporter, Athletic Director Gene Smith, admitted his support of Tressel "had wavered long before" the coach resigned. Smith also said he had asked for Tressel's resignation the day before it actually happened. So all that "we support our coach" was just a load of crap? I'm certainly surprised, how about you? Tressel has agreed to appear at the August 12th hearing before the NCAA Committee of Infractions, no doubt to valiantly fall on his sword. For this act of bravery, Ohio State has returned Tressel's $250,000 fine & changed his pink slip from "resignation" to "retirement." Honest, I'm not making this up, they're doing this with an apparent straight face.
To further demonstrate their integrity, the Buckeyes announced they would vacate all of their wins last season, including their Sugar Bowl defeat of Arkansas. This move will also vacate their BIG TEN co-championship. OSU has also imposed a 2-year probation on itself beginning July 8th.
"The university intended to prohibit all off-campus recruiting by Coach Tressel for a period of 1-year."
"Intended".....really?? Ooooo they're so strict.
"The university has taken appropriate action to negate any competitive advantage gained by the institution as a result of these violations. The university asks the committee of infractions to accept these penalties & take no further action."
Dream on Buckeyes, dream on, the NCAA won't allow this pitiful self-punishment to be the only penalties. Friday's self-imposed punishment is so pathetic, it might actually do more harm than good. Did OSU volunteer for a post-season ban? Did they surrender any scholarships? Did these brave Buckeyes offer to repay the millions they took from the Sugar Bowl? How about an apology to Michigan State, who, if Ohio State had fessed up to all this crap beforehand, would have played in the Rose Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. Makes no difference they were clocked by Alabama New Year's Day, the Spartans should have been in a BCS bowl. They should have received a helluva lot more money for their 11-1 regular season.
If you think I'm piling on Ohio State, I am, this type of hypocritical, sanctimonious behavior cannot stand, especially from one of college football's most respected & storied programs. I fully expect the Buckeyes to absorb the same level of severe punishment USC received. One more thing, Ohio State's Sugar Bowl win had snapped their 0-8 string against the Southeastern Conference in BCS Bowl games. It ain't snapped no more, make it 0-9 now.
When the 8th Circuit Court heard the NFL's appeal to allow them to continue the lockout, both sides were warned to "work this out on your own, you may not like our decision." They pecked away at the negotiations, only working 8+ hours in a day twice in 5-weeks & never, ever on the weekend. Friday morning the 8th Circuit announced their decision, one they apparently had been sitting on for over a week, hoping a new agreement could be struck, but it never happened. The court agreed with the league, the lockout is legal. They cited the Norris-LaGuardia Act, a federal statute intended to keep the courts from issuing orders that end strikes or lockouts. Upon hearing their decision, DeMaurice Smith asked for a recess in Friday's negotiations so he could conduct a 32-team conference call to inform his player reps of the ramifications set in motion by the court. After the afternoon session resumed, talks quickly ground to a halt & they adjourned. No talks were scheduled for the weekend, heaven forbid. There are no scheduled talks for next week currently. Please oh please don't say anything that patronizes the fans, don't claim to know how upset we are or how important the fans are to the league & it's players. Once again they've rubbed it in our collective faces demonstrating "we really don't give a sh*t about the fans, honestly we don't."
Peyton Manning said Friday he isn't capable of playing after having neck surgery this spring & didn't know when he would be ready. It's all the fault of the owners according to Manning, he can't use the team's physical therapist, so he hasn't been able to rehab properly. Manning said he hasn't thrown a single pass in over 4-months because of the surgery & lack of proper rehab. Apparently the Colt's therapist is the only one on the face of the earth capable of helping Manning. Peyton's getting a little snippy isn't he? A guy making over $10 million per season from endorsements alone can't find anyone who can make him whole again. I think this lockout is beginning to get to people who would normally display nothing but cool.
I was very down on Hampton nose tackle Kenrick Ellis before April's NFL Draft. I took a lot of heat here & on one of the websites operated by The Kansas City Star for my negative opinion, I said he appears to be a thug. The New York Jets selected Ellis with their 3rd round choice & now there's a possibility he might never play in the NFL. Turns out Ellis is a Jamaican national, not a U.S. citizen. Since he has been charged with a felony, "malicious wounding." Hampton got into a brawl on the Hampton campus over 2-years ago. After punching several of his fellow students, one of them came after him with a baseball bat. Ellis proceeded to beat this guy severely, breaking his jaw & two other bones in his face. If he is convicted of this felony, he could be deported & no more Jets, no more NFL. It would seem if he doesn't workout a plea deal that takes this down to a misdemeanor, he could be back in Jamaica mon. His trial has been postponed until November 28th. I think the Jets will sign him, but the contract will certainly have a cheap way out for the Jets should Ellis be threatened with deportation. Look for one of our finer litigators to offer the injured party a pocket full of cash provided by an agent & a plea deal will be struck.
It appears the Oregon football program has begun "ducking" for cover after the investigation by Yahoo! Sports revealed a connection with a scouting service wannabe who received $25,000 from the Ducks. Head coach Chip Kelly approved the payment & then after the NCAA began snooping around, he asked the so-called scout, Willie Lyles, for some sort of a report he could show the NCAA to justify the $25K. Assistant Director of Football Operations, Josh Gibson, who, according to Lyles, was also a major player in this cover-up & now he's somehow vanished into thin air. Gibson is no longer in the football office. No will go on record stating if Gibson has resigned, was terminated or reassigned. I wonder how long the university will stand by Kelly or will that support waiver in the weeks to come?
Senior Georgia running back Caleb King hasn't been what the Bulldogs thought he would become when they recruited him. In three seasons, he's been suspended for academics, for arrest warrants resulting from a failure-to-appear in court & then there were the injuries. The former 5-star recruit has failed to gain as much as 600-yards in any season at Athens. Friday morning it was announced by King himself via his Twitter & Facebook accounts he won't be playing this fall because he will be ruled ineligible. The cause wasn't revealed but considering his history, I expect it to be true, his days as a Dawg are over.
I neglected to tell you yesterday of the other suitors who were recruiting quarterback Maty Mauk, now committed to Missouri. He had been offered scholarships with Notre Dame, Michigan & Illinois. According to Mauk's father, who is also his high school coach, the Irish were caught completely off-guard by his commitment to the Tigers on Thursday.
Is Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Roy Williams the most unromantic guy around? He's certainly in the running after his proposal of marriage was rebuffed by a former Texas beauty queen. Seems Roy proposed by mail, not email, old fashioned United States Postal Service-type mail. He included a tape of his proposal along with $5,000 for some dental work & even included a very expensive engagement ring in the package. Girls, how is it this guy's still on the market? The young lady, Brook Daniels, Miss Texas USA, declined Williams' offer by overnight mail but kept the ring. After a couple of weeks, Williams demanded the ring be returned but she claimed it was lost. So Williams filed suit in Odessa Texas this week to force her to return the ring or pay for it, $76,000 was the purchase price. Miraculously, the ring reappeared & was returned to Williams on Thursday.
These crazy kids.
To further demonstrate their integrity, the Buckeyes announced they would vacate all of their wins last season, including their Sugar Bowl defeat of Arkansas. This move will also vacate their BIG TEN co-championship. OSU has also imposed a 2-year probation on itself beginning July 8th.
"The university intended to prohibit all off-campus recruiting by Coach Tressel for a period of 1-year."
"Intended".....really?? Ooooo they're so strict.
"The university has taken appropriate action to negate any competitive advantage gained by the institution as a result of these violations. The university asks the committee of infractions to accept these penalties & take no further action."
Dream on Buckeyes, dream on, the NCAA won't allow this pitiful self-punishment to be the only penalties. Friday's self-imposed punishment is so pathetic, it might actually do more harm than good. Did OSU volunteer for a post-season ban? Did they surrender any scholarships? Did these brave Buckeyes offer to repay the millions they took from the Sugar Bowl? How about an apology to Michigan State, who, if Ohio State had fessed up to all this crap beforehand, would have played in the Rose Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. Makes no difference they were clocked by Alabama New Year's Day, the Spartans should have been in a BCS bowl. They should have received a helluva lot more money for their 11-1 regular season.
If you think I'm piling on Ohio State, I am, this type of hypocritical, sanctimonious behavior cannot stand, especially from one of college football's most respected & storied programs. I fully expect the Buckeyes to absorb the same level of severe punishment USC received. One more thing, Ohio State's Sugar Bowl win had snapped their 0-8 string against the Southeastern Conference in BCS Bowl games. It ain't snapped no more, make it 0-9 now.
When the 8th Circuit Court heard the NFL's appeal to allow them to continue the lockout, both sides were warned to "work this out on your own, you may not like our decision." They pecked away at the negotiations, only working 8+ hours in a day twice in 5-weeks & never, ever on the weekend. Friday morning the 8th Circuit announced their decision, one they apparently had been sitting on for over a week, hoping a new agreement could be struck, but it never happened. The court agreed with the league, the lockout is legal. They cited the Norris-LaGuardia Act, a federal statute intended to keep the courts from issuing orders that end strikes or lockouts. Upon hearing their decision, DeMaurice Smith asked for a recess in Friday's negotiations so he could conduct a 32-team conference call to inform his player reps of the ramifications set in motion by the court. After the afternoon session resumed, talks quickly ground to a halt & they adjourned. No talks were scheduled for the weekend, heaven forbid. There are no scheduled talks for next week currently. Please oh please don't say anything that patronizes the fans, don't claim to know how upset we are or how important the fans are to the league & it's players. Once again they've rubbed it in our collective faces demonstrating "we really don't give a sh*t about the fans, honestly we don't."
Peyton Manning said Friday he isn't capable of playing after having neck surgery this spring & didn't know when he would be ready. It's all the fault of the owners according to Manning, he can't use the team's physical therapist, so he hasn't been able to rehab properly. Manning said he hasn't thrown a single pass in over 4-months because of the surgery & lack of proper rehab. Apparently the Colt's therapist is the only one on the face of the earth capable of helping Manning. Peyton's getting a little snippy isn't he? A guy making over $10 million per season from endorsements alone can't find anyone who can make him whole again. I think this lockout is beginning to get to people who would normally display nothing but cool.
I was very down on Hampton nose tackle Kenrick Ellis before April's NFL Draft. I took a lot of heat here & on one of the websites operated by The Kansas City Star for my negative opinion, I said he appears to be a thug. The New York Jets selected Ellis with their 3rd round choice & now there's a possibility he might never play in the NFL. Turns out Ellis is a Jamaican national, not a U.S. citizen. Since he has been charged with a felony, "malicious wounding." Hampton got into a brawl on the Hampton campus over 2-years ago. After punching several of his fellow students, one of them came after him with a baseball bat. Ellis proceeded to beat this guy severely, breaking his jaw & two other bones in his face. If he is convicted of this felony, he could be deported & no more Jets, no more NFL. It would seem if he doesn't workout a plea deal that takes this down to a misdemeanor, he could be back in Jamaica mon. His trial has been postponed until November 28th. I think the Jets will sign him, but the contract will certainly have a cheap way out for the Jets should Ellis be threatened with deportation. Look for one of our finer litigators to offer the injured party a pocket full of cash provided by an agent & a plea deal will be struck.
It appears the Oregon football program has begun "ducking" for cover after the investigation by Yahoo! Sports revealed a connection with a scouting service wannabe who received $25,000 from the Ducks. Head coach Chip Kelly approved the payment & then after the NCAA began snooping around, he asked the so-called scout, Willie Lyles, for some sort of a report he could show the NCAA to justify the $25K. Assistant Director of Football Operations, Josh Gibson, who, according to Lyles, was also a major player in this cover-up & now he's somehow vanished into thin air. Gibson is no longer in the football office. No will go on record stating if Gibson has resigned, was terminated or reassigned. I wonder how long the university will stand by Kelly or will that support waiver in the weeks to come?
Senior Georgia running back Caleb King hasn't been what the Bulldogs thought he would become when they recruited him. In three seasons, he's been suspended for academics, for arrest warrants resulting from a failure-to-appear in court & then there were the injuries. The former 5-star recruit has failed to gain as much as 600-yards in any season at Athens. Friday morning it was announced by King himself via his Twitter & Facebook accounts he won't be playing this fall because he will be ruled ineligible. The cause wasn't revealed but considering his history, I expect it to be true, his days as a Dawg are over.
I neglected to tell you yesterday of the other suitors who were recruiting quarterback Maty Mauk, now committed to Missouri. He had been offered scholarships with Notre Dame, Michigan & Illinois. According to Mauk's father, who is also his high school coach, the Irish were caught completely off-guard by his commitment to the Tigers on Thursday.
Is Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Roy Williams the most unromantic guy around? He's certainly in the running after his proposal of marriage was rebuffed by a former Texas beauty queen. Seems Roy proposed by mail, not email, old fashioned United States Postal Service-type mail. He included a tape of his proposal along with $5,000 for some dental work & even included a very expensive engagement ring in the package. Girls, how is it this guy's still on the market? The young lady, Brook Daniels, Miss Texas USA, declined Williams' offer by overnight mail but kept the ring. After a couple of weeks, Williams demanded the ring be returned but she claimed it was lost. So Williams filed suit in Odessa Texas this week to force her to return the ring or pay for it, $76,000 was the purchase price. Miraculously, the ring reappeared & was returned to Williams on Thursday.
These crazy kids.
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