BIG-12 COMEDY OF ERRORS CONTINUES, INJURY NOTES, SOME ENTERPRISING BENGALS & VICK GETS A NEW HELMET BUT WILL HE PLAY?
The confusing day-to-day goings-on in the Big-12 continued on Thursday after nine school presidents held an hour-long teleconference which was supposed to iron out a few of their issues in order to move forward. In no time at all, it became even more apparent the Big-12 is 2011's version of "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight." Mizzou president Brady Deaton is chairman of the conference's board of directors & he was to conduct a media teleconference to explain what had happened in the earlier teleconference. A minute after he began speaking his voice was washed out by a louder David Boren, President of Oklahoma. Once again, the conference can't get out of it's own way. Deaton allowed Boren to talk for a few minutes before joining the fray. After the media session was over, here's what we know, or at least the version as of 9/22/11, who knows what new revelation we'll hear tomorrow.
1. Boren said the remaining teams have agreed to grant their 1st & 2nd tier rights to the conference. That means all TV & radio revenues will be surrendered to the conference so they can divide it up equally among all teams.
2. Deaton said the remaining teams agreed to discuss equal shares thru the granting of 1st & 2nd tier rights. Not the same thing is it, so what is the real story?
3. Regarding the Longhorn Network, which is 3rd tier media revenue, Boren said Texas would retain the network but they would not be allowed to show high school games or highlights on their channel. The Longhorn Network is a 20-year deal between Texas & ESPN worth $300 million. That works out to $15 million additional over the other rest of the conference members. So the thorny issue that helped send Colorado, Nebraska & A&M packin' is still there.
4. They have agreed(by one account) to stay together until a new television contract is negotiated. If anyone bolts, they will forfeit their 1st & 2nd tier rights no matter where they move. That would seem to be deterrent enough to stay together until 2014, but this conference is such a soap opera, I figure no way we get 3 years down the road without anymore drama.
5. The one positive to come out of Big-12 version 5.0, is they did agree to equal shares for everybody even tho UT, OU, OSU & Mizzou are televised a lot more than ISU, KU, KSU, Baylor & Tech. But the very issue that kept Texas from moving anywhere else, remains in place here in Big-12 country.
The only Chiefs player who failed to practice Thursday was Jonathan Baldwin....again. The Chargers have had a number of players sidelined this week. WR's Vincent Jackson & Malcolm Floyd, TE Antonio gates, RB Mike Tolbert & DE Corey Liuget. They placed ILB Jonas Mouton on I.R. with a shoulder injury. Neither of St. Louis' top two RB's, Steven Jackson & Cadillac Williams, were able to practice this week. The Rams have really struggled in the redzone without Jackson, it will only get worse without Williams & the Ravens coming to town.
I've always been impressed with entrepreneurs & it's so gratifying to hear about NFL players striving to better themselves even tho they already earn at least $395,000 per season. Take for instance Cincinnati WR Jerome Simpson & OT Anthony Collins(Jayhawk). They just aren't happy with that $350K take home pay as 4-year veterans so why not start a business. That they are doing this during the season, could be a problem, you know, diverting their focus & all. Tuesday morning UPS delivered a package to the home owned by Simpson & shared with Collins. As soon as a 27-year old young lady signed for the package & closed the door, DEA, FBI & local police descended on the house. They already knew the package contained marijuana, their dog in California told them so. Armed with a search warrant, they went thru the house & found the package in question which contained 2.5 pounds of pot. Further search turned up another "6-pounds of the drug, scales, packaging supplies & smoking devices." Soooo, more Bengals in trouble. Speaking of which, starting RB Cedric Benson was suspended Thursday for 3 games because of off-field issues. Assault & battery on a former roommate, battery on a woman(which was dropped after he plead guilty to the roomie assault) forced the commissioner's hand. Benson's had numerous run-ins with the police in Austin. Maybe he should live in Cincy year round. Ahhh, the entrepreneurial experience.
The Tampa Bay Bucs play host to a major division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, on Sunday. Big, big game for both teams. Unfortunately, the Buc fans aren't quite on board yet, the game will mark their 10th consecutive blackout. The Raiders have had 7 of 8 blacked out the past two seasons. They were able to get their fan base revved up to play the New York Jets this Sunday, the game is sold out & will be televised locally.
Michael Vick was cleared to return to practice on Thursday but not cleared to play Sunday vs. the Giants, so far anyway. Concussions require two doctors' approval before they can play in a game. Vick was fitted for a new helmet Thursday. What amazes me was he refused a mouthpiece again. Wearing a mouthpiece can prevent or lessen the severity of concussions. Plus the blood you saw Vick spitting for 15-minutes was from a lacerated tongue he received when his head struck teammate Todd Herreman's Sunday night. A mouthpiece would have prevented that for sure. The NFLPA is so completely resistant to a mandatory pad & mouthpiece rule. Almost no one wears thigh, knee & hip pads. This is a main cause for so many injuries, these pads really can prevent a number of injuries.
Thigh Pads Knee Pads Hip & Tailbone Pads Mouthpiece
1. Boren said the remaining teams have agreed to grant their 1st & 2nd tier rights to the conference. That means all TV & radio revenues will be surrendered to the conference so they can divide it up equally among all teams.
2. Deaton said the remaining teams agreed to discuss equal shares thru the granting of 1st & 2nd tier rights. Not the same thing is it, so what is the real story?
3. Regarding the Longhorn Network, which is 3rd tier media revenue, Boren said Texas would retain the network but they would not be allowed to show high school games or highlights on their channel. The Longhorn Network is a 20-year deal between Texas & ESPN worth $300 million. That works out to $15 million additional over the other rest of the conference members. So the thorny issue that helped send Colorado, Nebraska & A&M packin' is still there.
4. They have agreed(by one account) to stay together until a new television contract is negotiated. If anyone bolts, they will forfeit their 1st & 2nd tier rights no matter where they move. That would seem to be deterrent enough to stay together until 2014, but this conference is such a soap opera, I figure no way we get 3 years down the road without anymore drama.
5. The one positive to come out of Big-12 version 5.0, is they did agree to equal shares for everybody even tho UT, OU, OSU & Mizzou are televised a lot more than ISU, KU, KSU, Baylor & Tech. But the very issue that kept Texas from moving anywhere else, remains in place here in Big-12 country.
The only Chiefs player who failed to practice Thursday was Jonathan Baldwin....again. The Chargers have had a number of players sidelined this week. WR's Vincent Jackson & Malcolm Floyd, TE Antonio gates, RB Mike Tolbert & DE Corey Liuget. They placed ILB Jonas Mouton on I.R. with a shoulder injury. Neither of St. Louis' top two RB's, Steven Jackson & Cadillac Williams, were able to practice this week. The Rams have really struggled in the redzone without Jackson, it will only get worse without Williams & the Ravens coming to town.
I've always been impressed with entrepreneurs & it's so gratifying to hear about NFL players striving to better themselves even tho they already earn at least $395,000 per season. Take for instance Cincinnati WR Jerome Simpson & OT Anthony Collins(Jayhawk). They just aren't happy with that $350K take home pay as 4-year veterans so why not start a business. That they are doing this during the season, could be a problem, you know, diverting their focus & all. Tuesday morning UPS delivered a package to the home owned by Simpson & shared with Collins. As soon as a 27-year old young lady signed for the package & closed the door, DEA, FBI & local police descended on the house. They already knew the package contained marijuana, their dog in California told them so. Armed with a search warrant, they went thru the house & found the package in question which contained 2.5 pounds of pot. Further search turned up another "6-pounds of the drug, scales, packaging supplies & smoking devices." Soooo, more Bengals in trouble. Speaking of which, starting RB Cedric Benson was suspended Thursday for 3 games because of off-field issues. Assault & battery on a former roommate, battery on a woman(which was dropped after he plead guilty to the roomie assault) forced the commissioner's hand. Benson's had numerous run-ins with the police in Austin. Maybe he should live in Cincy year round. Ahhh, the entrepreneurial experience.
The Tampa Bay Bucs play host to a major division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, on Sunday. Big, big game for both teams. Unfortunately, the Buc fans aren't quite on board yet, the game will mark their 10th consecutive blackout. The Raiders have had 7 of 8 blacked out the past two seasons. They were able to get their fan base revved up to play the New York Jets this Sunday, the game is sold out & will be televised locally.
Michael Vick was cleared to return to practice on Thursday but not cleared to play Sunday vs. the Giants, so far anyway. Concussions require two doctors' approval before they can play in a game. Vick was fitted for a new helmet Thursday. What amazes me was he refused a mouthpiece again. Wearing a mouthpiece can prevent or lessen the severity of concussions. Plus the blood you saw Vick spitting for 15-minutes was from a lacerated tongue he received when his head struck teammate Todd Herreman's Sunday night. A mouthpiece would have prevented that for sure. The NFLPA is so completely resistant to a mandatory pad & mouthpiece rule. Almost no one wears thigh, knee & hip pads. This is a main cause for so many injuries, these pads really can prevent a number of injuries.
Thigh Pads Knee Pads Hip & Tailbone Pads Mouthpiece
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