Saturday, September 30, 2006
"LA LIGA" . ATLETICO BILBAO 1 - FC BARCELONA 3
It was the AC Milan team of Saachi & Capello that showed us amodel of football to follow & win titles. That model was its bench,that is, have a 2º side at the same level as the 1st, to ensure thatany holes that may appear - eg injuries - would not effect the TEAM.Its no coincidence the FC BARCELONA´s coach Frank Rikjaard was aplayer of AC MILAN & an integrate part of that model. Tonight the
Letter to Mr. Stern: Larry Brown's Award Should be All or Nothing
Dear Mr. Stern:
Yesterday, you arbitrated Larry Brown's dispute over $40 million owed on his contract following his firing by the New York Knicks (see Geoffrey Rapp's previous summary of the legal issues involved in the dispute). Keep in mind that you are serving as an arbitrator, and not as a mediator, of a legal dispute that involves a simple legal question: Did the Knicks terminate Brown for cause? -- however that term is defined in the contract. If the answer is yes, then Brown gets nothing. If the answer is no, then Brown gets $40 million.
A proper legal analysis here does not allow for an in-between award. IF you determine that Brown was terminated without cause, the Knicks will attempt to argue that they have been monetarily damaged as a result of Brown's criticism of players, roadside interviews and attempting to make unauthorized trades, and that the $40 million owed should be offset by the damages flowing therefrom. But the only way the Knicks could possibly be entitled to any damages as a result of these breaches would be if the Knicks asserted claims for these breaches BEFORE terminating Brown. Instead, the Knicks decided to terminate Brown, and, if they did not have the right to do so, they materially breached and are not entitled to any damages.
As precedent, you can rely on the recent Ohio Court of Claims decision involving an analogous situation in which Jim O'Brien was terminated for cause by Ohio State. The court determined that Ohio State did not have the right to terminate O'Brien for cause as defined in the contract as a result of certain NCAA rules violations committed by O'Brien. In determining the damages award, the court awarded O'Brien the full amount that O'Brien was entitled under the terms of the liquidated damages provision in the contract, without any offset whatsoever for damages incurred by Ohio State flowing from the rules violations.
The other option would be to just split the baby somewhere down the middle, which is what a "mediator" would do in attempting to resolve a dispute. Although this is not what you are supposed to do as an arbitrator, this would allow you to consider your own personal interests so that (1) you don't look like you are biased in favor of the team owners who appointed you (if you were to rule in favor of the Knicks that is), or (2) you don't irritate the owners, especially a large market team owner (if you were to rule in favor of Brown that is).
Yesterday, you arbitrated Larry Brown's dispute over $40 million owed on his contract following his firing by the New York Knicks (see Geoffrey Rapp's previous summary of the legal issues involved in the dispute). Keep in mind that you are serving as an arbitrator, and not as a mediator, of a legal dispute that involves a simple legal question: Did the Knicks terminate Brown for cause? -- however that term is defined in the contract. If the answer is yes, then Brown gets nothing. If the answer is no, then Brown gets $40 million.
A proper legal analysis here does not allow for an in-between award. IF you determine that Brown was terminated without cause, the Knicks will attempt to argue that they have been monetarily damaged as a result of Brown's criticism of players, roadside interviews and attempting to make unauthorized trades, and that the $40 million owed should be offset by the damages flowing therefrom. But the only way the Knicks could possibly be entitled to any damages as a result of these breaches would be if the Knicks asserted claims for these breaches BEFORE terminating Brown. Instead, the Knicks decided to terminate Brown, and, if they did not have the right to do so, they materially breached and are not entitled to any damages.
As precedent, you can rely on the recent Ohio Court of Claims decision involving an analogous situation in which Jim O'Brien was terminated for cause by Ohio State. The court determined that Ohio State did not have the right to terminate O'Brien for cause as defined in the contract as a result of certain NCAA rules violations committed by O'Brien. In determining the damages award, the court awarded O'Brien the full amount that O'Brien was entitled under the terms of the liquidated damages provision in the contract, without any offset whatsoever for damages incurred by Ohio State flowing from the rules violations.
The other option would be to just split the baby somewhere down the middle, which is what a "mediator" would do in attempting to resolve a dispute. Although this is not what you are supposed to do as an arbitrator, this would allow you to consider your own personal interests so that (1) you don't look like you are biased in favor of the team owners who appointed you (if you were to rule in favor of the Knicks that is), or (2) you don't irritate the owners, especially a large market team owner (if you were to rule in favor of Brown that is).
Friday, September 29, 2006
NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 4
The column that I'm sure everyone waits in anticipation for... my picks for the week against the spread for Week 4. I don't want the suspense to build, so let's just start!
Chargers (-2) over Ravens - I love the Ravens D, and I loved the Ravens picking up Steve McNair at the time... but, McNair has just not played well so far. He's skipping a lot of passes to open receivers and has just generally been inaccurate. He's like a less mobile Michael Vick with a little better arm, and Jamal Lewis isn't good enough right now to carry the entire offense. Even in Baltimore, I'll take the Chargers to win and cover.
Saints (+7) over Panthers - I do like the Panthers to win this game, but the spread seems a little high. The Saints were awesome last week. Great defense, solid offense, and good special teams. Deuce and Bush are going to win them a lot of weeks... for Carolina, they almost blew a 17-0 lead against Chris Simms and his ruptured spleen... I think they're the best in the West now with Steve Smith back, but I'll take the Saints to cover.
Texans (+3.5) over Dolphins - The Dolphins struggled mightily in beating the Titans last week. The Texans are an awful club, but I like David Carr to find Andre Johnson enough to pick the Texans to win the game outright. Something's rotten in Miami, and it's not just Daunte Culpepper.
Colts (-9) over Jets - There's lots of reasons to pick the Jets to cover... it's in NY, the Jets are playing very well right now, Chad Pennington is back, and the Colts can't stop the run or run the ball themselves... but I just have a feeling the Colts will come out and whomp the Jets.
Cowboys (-9.5) over Titans - I think TO will wind up playing and have a nice game. That, combined with the Cowboys 2-headed RB situation, and the fact that the Cowboys D should eat up Kerry Collins + whatever RB Tennessee starts this week, and I'll take Dallas to cover. I still maintain that Tennessee is the only team that will be able to challenge Oakland for the #1 pick in the draft.
Falcons (-7.5) over Cardinals - This is one I have a tough time picking. The Falcons looked so bad on Monday night, and the Cardinals have all that talent on offense. But, I think Atlanta should be able to run all over the Cardinals defense, and they should be able to put pressure on Warner, and, well, let's just say that I think Matt Leinart will be starting next week.
Vikings (+1) over Bills - So the Vikings were a fumble away from beating one of the top 2 teams in the NFC, and the Bills lost by 8 to the Jets... and the Bills are favored? Maybe in past years, when the Vikings could never win on the road, I could understand more. But the Vikings have already notched a road win, and so this shouldn't faze them. I think Pat Williams & Co. can shut down Willis McGahee, causing Losman to pass, and regardless of how decent Losman looked last week, I'll take the Vikings here.
Chiefs (-7) over 49ers - I'm not a big Damon Huard guy (but then, who is?), but I think he should be able to sufficiently hand the ball of to Larry Johnson. A lot. And that should be enough to cover the spread at home.
Rams (-6) over Lions - The Packers just beat the Lions by 7 at Ford Field. The Rams are traditionally a very good home team. Yeah, I'll take the Rams to cover.
Browns (-3) over Raiders - This is a vow from me... until the Raiders actually cover once, I will not pick them. Bad coach, bad QB, bad line, yada yada yada... Plus, I do like the Browns. Charlie Frye gets the job done, and he has some emerging targets. Browns are the pick.
Redskins (+3) over Jaguars - The Jags defense is great, but I think the Skins are a little underrated. They came in and lots of people were predicting Super Bowl, and then they played 2 poor games in a very complicated offense basically without their All-Pro running back, and now people are writing them off. At home, with a healthy Clinton Portis, I think they can beat the Jaguars. The Jags offense isn't that good right now either (well, unless Maurice Jones-Drew has something to say about it).
Bengals (-6) over Patriots - I'm sorry, but in Cincy, I don't see how New England can compete. I think they'll be ok by the end of the year when the receivers are more in sink with Brady, but right now the offense is not clicking. After 3 games, Ben Watson leads the team with 11 receptions, followed by Troy Brown and his 10. I think the Bengals will be able to bottle up the run a little bit, and then that great offense should be able to score enough to cover the spread.
Seahawks (+3.5) over Bears - This is tough without Shaun Alexander playing, but I think the Seahawks have enough weapons with Hasselbeck and the 4-WR sets. Offensively for Chicago, Rex Grossman showed he can be rattled some when pressure is put on. Plus, the running game has been non-existent for the Bears. I think the Seahawks win a pretty low-scoring game.
Eagles (-11) over Packers - The spread is pretty high, but I see a HUGE game for Donovan McNabb. Rex Grossman, Drew Brees, and Jon Kitna have passed all over Green Bay in the first 3 weeks, and McNabb is looking better than he ever has in his career. Big day for McNabb, big day for the Eagles, and a MNF win over Green Bay.
Last Week: 6-7-1
Season: 25-20-1
Chargers (-2) over Ravens - I love the Ravens D, and I loved the Ravens picking up Steve McNair at the time... but, McNair has just not played well so far. He's skipping a lot of passes to open receivers and has just generally been inaccurate. He's like a less mobile Michael Vick with a little better arm, and Jamal Lewis isn't good enough right now to carry the entire offense. Even in Baltimore, I'll take the Chargers to win and cover.
Saints (+7) over Panthers - I do like the Panthers to win this game, but the spread seems a little high. The Saints were awesome last week. Great defense, solid offense, and good special teams. Deuce and Bush are going to win them a lot of weeks... for Carolina, they almost blew a 17-0 lead against Chris Simms and his ruptured spleen... I think they're the best in the West now with Steve Smith back, but I'll take the Saints to cover.
Texans (+3.5) over Dolphins - The Dolphins struggled mightily in beating the Titans last week. The Texans are an awful club, but I like David Carr to find Andre Johnson enough to pick the Texans to win the game outright. Something's rotten in Miami, and it's not just Daunte Culpepper.
Colts (-9) over Jets - There's lots of reasons to pick the Jets to cover... it's in NY, the Jets are playing very well right now, Chad Pennington is back, and the Colts can't stop the run or run the ball themselves... but I just have a feeling the Colts will come out and whomp the Jets.
Cowboys (-9.5) over Titans - I think TO will wind up playing and have a nice game. That, combined with the Cowboys 2-headed RB situation, and the fact that the Cowboys D should eat up Kerry Collins + whatever RB Tennessee starts this week, and I'll take Dallas to cover. I still maintain that Tennessee is the only team that will be able to challenge Oakland for the #1 pick in the draft.
Falcons (-7.5) over Cardinals - This is one I have a tough time picking. The Falcons looked so bad on Monday night, and the Cardinals have all that talent on offense. But, I think Atlanta should be able to run all over the Cardinals defense, and they should be able to put pressure on Warner, and, well, let's just say that I think Matt Leinart will be starting next week.
Vikings (+1) over Bills - So the Vikings were a fumble away from beating one of the top 2 teams in the NFC, and the Bills lost by 8 to the Jets... and the Bills are favored? Maybe in past years, when the Vikings could never win on the road, I could understand more. But the Vikings have already notched a road win, and so this shouldn't faze them. I think Pat Williams & Co. can shut down Willis McGahee, causing Losman to pass, and regardless of how decent Losman looked last week, I'll take the Vikings here.
Chiefs (-7) over 49ers - I'm not a big Damon Huard guy (but then, who is?), but I think he should be able to sufficiently hand the ball of to Larry Johnson. A lot. And that should be enough to cover the spread at home.Rams (-6) over Lions - The Packers just beat the Lions by 7 at Ford Field. The Rams are traditionally a very good home team. Yeah, I'll take the Rams to cover.
Browns (-3) over Raiders - This is a vow from me... until the Raiders actually cover once, I will not pick them. Bad coach, bad QB, bad line, yada yada yada... Plus, I do like the Browns. Charlie Frye gets the job done, and he has some emerging targets. Browns are the pick.
Redskins (+3) over Jaguars - The Jags defense is great, but I think the Skins are a little underrated. They came in and lots of people were predicting Super Bowl, and then they played 2 poor games in a very complicated offense basically without their All-Pro running back, and now people are writing them off. At home, with a healthy Clinton Portis, I think they can beat the Jaguars. The Jags offense isn't that good right now either (well, unless Maurice Jones-Drew has something to say about it).
Bengals (-6) over Patriots - I'm sorry, but in Cincy, I don't see how New England can compete. I think they'll be ok by the end of the year when the receivers are more in sink with Brady, but right now the offense is not clicking. After 3 games, Ben Watson leads the team with 11 receptions, followed by Troy Brown and his 10. I think the Bengals will be able to bottle up the run a little bit, and then that great offense should be able to score enough to cover the spread.
Seahawks (+3.5) over Bears - This is tough without Shaun Alexander playing, but I think the Seahawks have enough weapons with Hasselbeck and the 4-WR sets. Offensively for Chicago, Rex Grossman showed he can be rattled some when pressure is put on. Plus, the running game has been non-existent for the Bears. I think the Seahawks win a pretty low-scoring game.
Eagles (-11) over Packers - The spread is pretty high, but I see a HUGE game for Donovan McNabb. Rex Grossman, Drew Brees, and Jon Kitna have passed all over Green Bay in the first 3 weeks, and McNabb is looking better than he ever has in his career. Big day for McNabb, big day for the Eagles, and a MNF win over Green Bay.
Last Week: 6-7-1
Season: 25-20-1
SPANISH FOOTBALL "LA LIGA" ROUND 5 FIXTURE
Another great weekend of Spanish Football.Here is the fixturefor Round 5:At. Bilbao - Fc Barcelona ( Sat)Racing - Celta (Sun)Seville - Getafe Zaragoza - Levante Recreativo - BetisMallorca - VillarealReal Madrid - At.Madrid * Classical DerbyDeportivo - Real SociedadEspanyol - OsasunaValencia - Nastic de TarragonaFull roundup here in SFS.See below the new Spanish National side list with Raul.
Should "Competitive Balance" Be Ejected From Sports Antitrust Jurisprudence?
Temple Law professor Salil Mehra and Pepper Hamilton associate Joel Zuercher have posted a copy of their forthcoming paper Striking Out 'Competitive Balance' in Sports, Antitrust and Intellectual Property, forthcoming in the BERKELEY TECHNOLOGY LAW JOURNAL. Here's an abstract of the paper, which can be downloaded free of charge from here:
Professional sports leagues enjoy a unique justification in defending their seemingly anticompetitive practices under the antitrust laws: They allegedly need to maintain competitive balance. According to the argument, sports leagues need to do anticompetitive things to enhance their competitive standing vis-a-vis other sports leagues or other forms of entertainment. The argument is on the leading side of a circuit split, with only the D.C. Circuit rejecting it. Additionally, sports leagues have been adept at getting this argument into public discourse and legislative consideration.
This Article argues that antitrust should reject the competitive balance argument on its face. The competitive balance argument makes the assumptions that there can only be one championship competition per sports league, that leagues can and will engineer balance in that unique competition, and that fan interest is directly related to that singular competition. This Article draws on comparative data and recent economic research to conclude that each of these assumptions is wrong and that judicial endorsement of the competitive balance argument may simply be an aesthetic preference without empirical support. Instead, a solution lies in reconceiving the league competition envisioned by the competitive balance argument. In particular, a sports league can be subject to several different “competing competitions” among its constituent teams; it could thus maintain fan interest even in the absence of competitive balance. This view draws support from the experience of the decade-old English Premier League and also helps to illuminate Major League Baseball's litigation attempting to expand its intellectual property rights to limit fantasy baseball league operators.
How much is exclusion from youth hockey worth?
One Canadian man thinks the exclusion of his three children from a Canadian youth league is worth $100,000 (ed. note: that's 100K in monopoly money...which works out to about 90,000 USD). Says the plaintiff: "My kids are pretty upset. Their friends are all playing hockey. They're getting teased at school because they can't play. They're 11, eight and six and they're having to put up with this."
The kids were excluded after the league deemed false the father's allegations that a coach physically abused his daughter. Hat tip to Frank Snyder's Contract Law Blog, which notes that the case would have been about football if the venue had been Texas.
The kids were excluded after the league deemed false the father's allegations that a coach physically abused his daughter. Hat tip to Frank Snyder's Contract Law Blog, which notes that the case would have been about football if the venue had been Texas.
SPANISH NATIONAL SQUAD LIST. RAUL LEFT OUT.
Spanish national coach Luis Aragones has given his list for thevital Euro qualifier against Sweden ( 7 Oct) & friendly againstArgentina (10 Oct). The big news is that RAUL GONZALEZ, theSpanish Captain has been left out of the squad.He had a riff with Aragones in the last World Cup - pictured - & thatsoured relationships, plus his poor form does´nt help.Spanish nacional side squad:Casillas, Sergio
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Composite NFL Power Rankings
I'm not really creative enough to create my own power rankings, but I thought it might be fun to look at some of the more well-known NFL Power Rankings, and find where the teams are average placed. So I loooked up the Power Rankings for ESPN, Dr. Z, CBS Sportsline, and Fox Sports, then I went crazy in Excel to figure out the averages. I'll put them in order (and their averages) and comment afterward:
1.5 - Indianapolis Colts
2.0 - Cincinnati Bengals
2.5 - Seattle Seahawks
4.5 - Chicago Bears
5.3 - Baltimore Ravens
5.5 - San Diego Chargers
7.0 - Jacksonville Jaguars
7.8 - Denver Broncos
10.0 - Philadelphia Eagles
11.5 - New Orleans Saints
12.0 - Minnesota Vikings
12.0 - New England Patriots
12.5 - Atlanta Falcons
13.0 - Pittsburgh Steelers
13.3 - Dallas Cowboys
17.3 - St. Louis Rams
17.5 - Carolina Panthers
17.8 - New York Giants
18.3 - New York Jets
20.5 - Washington Redskins
20.8 - Buffalo Bills
22.3 - Arizona Cardinals
22.8 - Kansas City Chiefs
23.5 - Miami Dolphins
25.3 - San Francisco 49ers
25.5 - Green Bay Packers
27.8 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
28.0 - Cleveland Browns
28.3 - Detroit Lions
29.8 - Tennessee Titans
30.8 - Houstan Texans
32.0 - Oakland Raiders
What's the biggest surprises from this list?
1.5 - Indianapolis Colts
2.0 - Cincinnati Bengals
2.5 - Seattle Seahawks
4.5 - Chicago Bears
5.3 - Baltimore Ravens
5.5 - San Diego Chargers
7.0 - Jacksonville Jaguars
7.8 - Denver Broncos
10.0 - Philadelphia Eagles
11.5 - New Orleans Saints
12.0 - Minnesota Vikings
12.0 - New England Patriots
12.5 - Atlanta Falcons
13.0 - Pittsburgh Steelers
13.3 - Dallas Cowboys
17.3 - St. Louis Rams
17.5 - Carolina Panthers
17.8 - New York Giants
18.3 - New York Jets
20.5 - Washington Redskins
20.8 - Buffalo Bills
22.3 - Arizona Cardinals
22.8 - Kansas City Chiefs
23.5 - Miami Dolphins
25.3 - San Francisco 49ers
25.5 - Green Bay Packers
27.8 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
28.0 - Cleveland Browns
28.3 - Detroit Lions
29.8 - Tennessee Titans
30.8 - Houstan Texans
32.0 - Oakland Raiders
- The Indianapolis Colts got 3 of the 4 first-place votes, with the Bengals receiving the other one. In the ranking that the Bengals were #1 (Dr. Z), the Colts were actually 3rd with the Seahawks coming in 3rd.
- Colts, Bengals, and Seahawks were the top 3 in all 4 rankings.
- The Oakland Raiders secured the bottom spot in all 4 rankings.
- The biggest disagreement for individual teams from the polls was with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons. Both received a #9 vote and a #15 vote... no other teams had a range bigger than 5.
- If you had told me before the year that the Saints would be above teams like New England and Pittsburgh and actually deserve to be there, I probably would have laughed.
- On the same token, if you had bet me the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be below teams like the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and San Francisco 49ers and very much deserve to be that low, I would have lost a lot of money.
What's the biggest surprises from this list?
College Football Picks: Week 5
I'll just make quick picks because I got another coming tonight (to make up for last night, where I had to study for 2 tests!), so I'll just pick the big games and post the scores I've got:
(22) Boise St. 31, Utah 27
(5) Florida 31, Alabama 13
(14) Oregon 34, Arizona St. 27
(24) Georgia Tech 13, (11) Virginia Tech 10
(1) Ohio St. 24, (13) Iowa 16
Last Week: 5-0
Season: 14-6
(22) Boise St. 31, Utah 27
(5) Florida 31, Alabama 13
(14) Oregon 34, Arizona St. 27
(24) Georgia Tech 13, (11) Virginia Tech 10
(1) Ohio St. 24, (13) Iowa 16
Last Week: 5-0
Season: 14-6
Paul Haagen's Faculty Associates Plan for Duke University
Duke Law Professor Paul Haagen, who teaches sports law, is head of Duke University's Academic Council, and is a former college lacrosse player, has proposed that Duke University professors be individually assigned on a voluntary basis to Duke sports teams. (Jane Stancill, "Duke Sports Idea Roils Professors," News & Observer, 9/21/2006). The match-up would serve as a way of improving communication between the University's sports and academic programs. The professors involved would be called "faculty associates," and while they would not be expected to monitor or report on a team, they could attend practices, travel with the team, and get to know athletes and coaches. The faculty associates would be assigned by a faculty governing body--and not the coaches--and they would be periodically rotated so as to avoid the potential of becoming advocates for individual teams or coaches.Professor Haagen's idea has been met with both enthusiastic support and scorn on the Duke campus. For instance, Duke women's lacrosse coach Kerstin Kimel believes that Haagen's idea would greatly improve dialogue between academic and athletic personnel:
Others, such as Duke political scientist Paula McClain, claim that "people are just aghast that it's even being considered." Apparently, Professor McClain--who is co-director of Duke's Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Social Sciences--believes that in the aftermath of the Duke lacrosse scandal, the University needs to distance itself from its sports teams, rather than embrace them."There isn't a real tremendous understanding from a faculty standpoint about what our athletes and coaches do day to day. There's been a continuous drumbeat to divide these two groups. There's just a lot of misperception."
Personally, I think Professor Haagen's idea is a wonderful one. Stereotypes and misconceptions usually diminish whenever persons from different groups can experience other groups, especially groups that would otherwise be distrusted or feared. Indeed, this has been a core finding by prominent social psychologists, including Stanford University's Claude Steel and the late Muzafer Sherif. And in a very different context, we talked about this same idea in relation to Chad Ford's ESPN work on Playing for Peace: the concept of using basketball to integrate people who would otherwise distrust one another.
As Professor Haagen alludes, putting a "human face" on the unknown is often the best way to no longer fear it. It will be interesting to see whether his plan is given a chance to prove that.
SPANISH FOOTBALL. THE DERBY - REAL MADRID VS ATLETICO DE MADRID
This Sunday at 18.00 atthe "Bernabeu Stadium",one of the "La Liga"´sbig matches takes place,the DERBY betweenREAL MADRID &ATLETICO DE MADRID.The whole city of Madrid& entire Spain stops towatch this classic ofclassic in Spanish & World Football.Both teams go into this match on equal terms & with numerousstars on show that would make any World coach or fans dribbleat the mouth. Real have the
SAMUEL ETO´O OUT 5 MONTHS & VIDEO OF REAL MADRID´S 5 - 1 WIN OVER DYNAMO KIEV.
FC BARCELONA suffered a serious loss last night in its matchagainst Werder Bremen, its star forward SAMUEL ETO´Oinjured his knee & this will keep him out for 5 months. Thisalso sets back Eto´o´s attempt to win this years Golden BallAward given by the magazine "France Football".Here is the video of REAL MADRID´s 5 - 1 victory over DYNAMOKIEV´s last Tuesday night. SFS has been receiving lots of
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
VALENCIA CF 2 - AC ROMA 1 / WERDER BREMEN 1 - FC BARCELONA 1. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS
The last two remaining Spanish teams in the Champions League qualifiers, finished tonight undefeated & one better than the other.VALENCIA CF won 2-1 at home Italian club AC ROMA.ANGULO - pictured below- scored early & lifted his side.AC ROMA reacted quickly & equalized thanks to itsCaptain TOTTI - pictured.Valencia thenreacted againto have DAVIDVILLA scored afew minutes later.The 1st half
Terrell Owens and Jumping to Conclusions
As you know, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens may have attempted to commit suicide last night by overdosing on the painkillers that he was using for his hand injury. Thankfully, Owens is okay physically, as he checked out of the hospital earlier this morning. He will address the media later this afternoon. It should be noted that while an internal police report that was somehow leaked to the media found that Owens did try to committ suicide, both Michael Smith and Michael Irvin of ESPN report that Owens is adamantly denying that he attempted to commit suicide. Owens asserts that he suffered an adverse reaction to the medicine.Without knowing more confirmed facts, it's impossible to know what happened or why whatever happened happened. We might never know. But interestingly, many media and fans have immediately accepted the storyline that Owens tried to commit suicide, and they have also put on their amateur psychologist and psychiatrist hats to offer pseudo-clinical explanations.
Some believe that Owens is simply a bad guy who does destructive things, and that this is just his latest ploy for publicity. This has been the reaction of many message boards and talk radio discussions.
Others view the apparent suicide as a sad chapter in the life of someone who has made a lot of bad decisions. For instance, C.W. Nevius of the San Francisco Chronicle blames Owens for "blowing" his career:
"There are plenty of kids from tiny towns and humble backgrounds who hit the big time and manage just fine. He had a miracle chance and he blew it."Still others take a more sympathetic view and speculate that Owens' self-centeredness reflects that he has been masking other problems that are not his fault. For instance, MSNBC's Mike Celizic posits that Owens' problems can be explained by his childhood:
"Whatever Owens’ problems are, they go way back to his childhood, when he was raised by a strict grandmother who didn’t allow him to leave the house except to go to school and church."But perhaps the best reaction is the least interesting one: we have no idea what happened and no one can honestly say that they saw "this"--whatever "this" really is-- coming. Interestingly, that is the view that trained psychologists seem to be endorsing. For instance, ESPN interviewed sports psychologist Dr. Joel Fish who finds that nothing in Owens' past indicated signs of potential suicide. Dr. Fish also cautions against jumping to conclusions because a small change in the facts could make what happened look much more like an inadvertent overdose than a suicide attempt.
I wonder what the reaction would be if a different player had experienced the exact same incident? We'll hopefully never know, but if you substitute Tom Brady or Donovan McNab for Terrell Owens, I have a feeling people would be a lot more patient in waiting for the facts to come out before drawing conclusions on what happened and why whatever happened happened. I also wonder if the "internal police report" concluding that Owens tried to commit suicide would have been leaked if the player had been someone else.
FC BARCELONA & VALENCIA PLAY TONIGHT IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
More Champions League action tonight with 2 Spanish teamsinvolved in Group A (FC BARCELONA) & Group D (VALENCIACF)Barça go to Germany to play WERDER BREMEN & will attemptto keep its winning run. Here are the sides according the Sp media:Possible line ups:Werder Bremen: Wiese; Fritz, Naldo, Baumann, Wome; Frings;Borowski, Schulz; Diego; Klose & Klasnic.Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Belletti, Puyol,
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Does a team from the NL Central have to go to the playoffs?
Unfortunately, according to my sources, the answer to that question is yes. What a shame.As of sometime last week, the Cardinals led the Astros by 8.5 games in the division and appeared to have a playoff berth locked up... then they lost 7 in a row, Houston won 7 in a row, Cincy got hot, and all of a sudden we have a 3-team race.
St. Louis - 80-76, -
Houston - 79-78, 1.5 GB
Cincinnati - 78-79, 2.5 GB
Ouch. The Cardinals are 1-8 this month playing such great teams as Milwaukee (73-84) and Houston. Looks like they really want this division.
Here's the remaining schedules:
St. Louis: San Diego (1), Milwaukee (4)
Houston: @ Pittsburgh (2), @ Atlanta (3)
Cincinnati: @Florida (2), @ Pittsburgh (3)
St. Louis also may have a game that was postponed Sunday, September 17th against the Giants, although to be honest, I'm not really sure what that's all about. Anyone know if that will get played?
Based on remaining opponents, the Reds seem to have the easiest schedule, but with them being down 2.5 games with 5 games left and 2 teams ahead, chances of winning this seem to be slim and none (before Tuesday's games, they stood at 1.4%). So we can probably scratch them off.
Which would leave it between the Cards and Astros. Even though Houston has 2 left against Pittsburgh, St. Louis probably has the easier schedule because Atlanta has a better record than Milwaukee, and St. Louis is at home for their remaining games while Houston is on the road. However, Houston just won 2 on the road while St. Louis just lost 2 at home. Baseball is a funny game.
In the end, I suspect that the Cardinals lead is just a little too large. 1.5 games is a lot to make up at this point in the year, and with the Cardinals playing their last 5 at home (where they are 46-29 on the year), I suspect they can at least win 2 or 3 of these last 5, which may be enough to hold on, unless the Astros remain invincible.
Either way, this at least provides us with some type of playoff race other than the NL Wildcard (which is pretty darn solid). Can the Astros do it?
REAL MADRID 5 - DYNAMO KIEV 1. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP E RESULT
A high scoring match at the "Bernabau Stadium" tonight.Local side REAL MADRID defeated DYNAMO KIEV by 5goals to 1, in its EUROPEAN CUP - Champions Leaguematch in the Group E qualifiers.To everyones surprise VAN NISTELROOY played instead ofRONALDO ( Ruuds wife gave birth in the morning & thisallowed him to jump on the field) & he played well scoring2 GOALS ( one from a penalty).REYES dominated his
Revolving Doors in Sports: Conflicts of Interest When Players Go Front Office?
Congratulations to Steve Yzerman, recently retired from his role as a Detroit Redwing hockey player, on moving to a new job as “vice president” of the team. Thank goodness he'll be gainfully employed, since I’m sure his finances have taken a hit since his retirement at the end of last season. In professional sports, some newly retired players take breaks to spend time with family and eventually return to positions with the same team or another franchise. Others move into broadcasting. Some dedicate their efforts to their outside businesses (so often restaurants) and other investments. Some become coaches at the college level. But what seems like a fairly large number move almost immediately into executive positions with the same franchises for which they played.
Such sudden moves may raise ethical issues and conflicts of interest, which is why many industries have formal regulations or informal customs to prevent it. Elected officials are often barred from lobbying the government for a period of time after leaving office. In the military, an enlisted soldier, sailor, airman or marine who receives an officer’s commission typically (by custom) is transferred to a different unit from the one in which he or she served as an enlisted person.
Is there reason to expect the sports industry to be free of conflicts when players come back through the revolving door? A couple of obvious concerns come to mind. Players no doubt develop friendships while on the team. Some of their locker-room mates may be loved, others loathed. It’s certainly possible to imagine that a player-turned executive may use their newfound power to reward friends or punish enemies – for instance, with more (or less) generous payouts come contract time. Such concerns might even surface near the end of a players’ career. While Yzerman’s new post, for example, was just announced, it’s safe to assume that at least some preliminary negotiations were under way before he decided to retire from the game. Might other players on the team treat a player soon to retire and expected to receive a front-office appointment with “kid gloves” during his final months as a player? Might coaches give the player extra playing time, or less onerous practice schedules, in an effort to curry favor with a likely future executive?
One might also worry that players acquire sensitive information about players’ and players’ unions. For instance, a player might learn about another player’s personal life, financial needs, health and well being. If that player retires and moves to the other side of the table, might we worry that he will offer such information to the franchise to earn other executives’ trust? A star player might be privy to discussions among union leaders about issues such as salary caps likely to surface at future collective bargaining sessions. Is there reason to worry that a player will pass such information to his franchise bosses upon taking an executive’s seat, such that team owners will gain an unfair advantage at the bargaining table? At a minimum, we might worry that retired players who immediately become executives are victims of sentiment when it comes to their former teammates and coaches. They might have a hard time making “hard decisions” to cut, fire, or punish their former pals. For franchises that are publicly owned, shareholders certainly want executives to be guided by concerns other than friendship.
To be sure, there are advantages to the revolving door in sports – a player has a huge advantage over a “man on the street” in terms of information about the inner workings of the franchise for which they played. I’m also not implying that any particular player has behaved unethically, and I have no reason to suspect that Yzerman will. But maybe sports should develop a formal or informal practice of having athletes take a bit of time off before moving into front office positions – just long enough that old grudges could heal and old friends can move on to other teams. Or, players could be encouraged to take executive positions with teams other than those for which they played.
New Sports Law Scholarship
New this week:
Emily Tumbrink Brackstone, Case note, Civil rights--Title IX--an individual may maintain a private right of action under Title IX when the federal funding recipient retaliates against the individual due to his complaints about sex discrimination, discussing Jackson v. Birmingham Bd. of Educ., 544 U.S. 167, 2005, 73 TENNESSEE LAW REVIEW 115 (2005)
Andrew M. Jones, Comment, Hold the mayo: an analysis of the validity of the NBA’s stern no preps to pros rule and the application of the nonstatutory exemption, 26 LOYALA LOS ANGELES ENTERTAINMENT LAW REVIEW 475(2005-2006)
EUROPEAN CUP QUALIFIERS. REAL MADRID MUST WIN
Another night of exciting Champions league matches with the Spanishrepresentative REAL MADRID playing DYNAMO KIEV in a matchthat they must win, to keep their chances intact.Ronaldo returns to the team, & Raul is under intense fire from the mediadue to his low form & non scoring games. Plus the other problem isthat Cicinho is out 6 months & Salgado is injuried leaving the right backposition under
Monday, September 25, 2006
Twins Magic Number: 0
(I apologize in advance for the fanboy-esque post... I'm just a little excited right now!)
After starting the year at 25-33, who would have thought the playoffs would be in the cards for the Twins? Admittedly, probably not me. But I'll admit the hearing the words "The Twins are going to the playoffs," is music to my ears.
With the Twins 8-1 win over the Royals and the White Sox 14-1 loss to the Indians (way to go out with a bang!) the Twins are assured of at least the Wildcard. The magic number is 0.
Meanwhile, the race for the division is still on. With 6 games to play, the Twins stand 1 (one) game out from the Tigers. This is a little misleading, however, because the Tigers have the tiebreaker. So in other words, if the Twins want to avoid a first round matchup with the Bronx Bombers, they have to win 2 more games than the Tigers do in the last week. The odds are against them, but then, the odds have been against them all year.
In the clincher, the Twins followed the same formula they followed all year... young pitcher on the mound, "pirahnas" getting on base, and the mashers in the middle driving them in. Boof Bonser was once again excellent, and appears (at least in my eyes) to have a strangleholdon the #2 spot in the rotation. With 6.1 good innings, his record is now at 7-5 with an ERA of 4.15. Thank You Brian Sabean indeed!
Offensively, the Twins were patient, drawing 6 walks. But they also got the power. Justin Morneau cracked his 34th HR of the year, and is now at 129 RBI, 2nd most in the AL. Torii Hunter also hit his 30th HR, meaning that after so many years of not having a HR hitter, the Twins have 2 this year. Funny how that works. Another possible milestone for Hunter is that he is now close to reaching 100 RBI. He needs just 5 in the last 6 games to become the 3rd Twins player (Morneau, Cuddyer) to reach that mark this year. Should we resign Torii? I don't know. But it's been fun watching him play for the last month?
In the race for the batting title, Joe Mauer helped his cause with a 2/3 day, raising the average to .349. His main competitors both had good days as well - Derek Jeter went 2/4 to raise the average to .340, and Robinson Cano went 2/4, leaving his average at .342. With 6 games left, this looks like it will be a very tight race, although it is still Mauer's to lose, obviously.
But with the playoff spot clinched, there's no need to worry about the batting title, awards, or anything else. Just enjoy what a marvelous ride it's been so far, and hope that the good times continue.
One thing is for sure... it's a good time to be a Twins fan!
REAL MADRID. RONALDO RETURNS TO PLAY & SETTLE DOUBTS
He´s back. REAL MADRID´s Brazilian star forward RONALDO will replace VAN NISTELROOY in tomorrows European Cupqualifying match against DYNAMO OF KIEV. The Dutch forward´swife is expected to give birth to their child & Ruud will be on leaveto witness the birth.Ronaldo returns after knee surgury & an attempted transfer operationto Milan which failed in the last minute. He is questioned & his
Sunday, September 24, 2006
NFL Week 3 Recap
Back with the ever-popular (not) NFL recap... some good games, some crappy games. But that, I suppose, is the nature of the NFL.
Dolphins 13, Titans 10 - Well, Miami sucks worse than everyone thought. They struggled through the first 2 games, but I didn't think they'd have any troubles with a bad Tennessee team. And then Tennessee was up 7-3 at half and it took a late FG from Miami to get the win. It was a regular Daunte Culpepper game... accurate, but not a lot of yards, took a few sacks. Only difference is that they played such a bad team it was enough to escape.
Colts 21, Jaguars 14 - I'm not sure we learned anything here that we didn't already know. Indy has lots of trouble running the ball right now, and the Jaguars defense is real good. The Jaguars defense held Indy to 14 points (with the other 7 coming on Special Teams), and Peyton Manning hit less than 50% of his passes. The thing we really learned is that Maurice Jones-Drew is definitely a big-play guy for this Jags offense.
Redskins 31, Texans 15 - As I thought, people were panicking way too early in Washington. Sure, it was the Texans, but once they got a relatively healthy Clinton Portis playing, it's amazing how that did wonders for the offense. For the Texans, Andre Johnson is real good, but the offense and defense continue to look rather mediocre under Gary Kubiak. And ugly 0-3 for them.
Packers 31, Lions 24 - And the Pack win Round 1 in the Battle for the Bottom of the NFC North! Brett Favre, yeah, he can still bring it. After watching Detroit these past 2 weeks and Seattle this week, I have to ask... how in the world did Detroit hold Seattle to 9 points in Week 1?
Jets 28, Bills 20 - That Mangini guy is showing some signs of being a pretty good coach, as the Jets move to 2-1. The Bills outran and outthrew the Jets, but turnovers caused this one to swing into the Jets favor. Losman threw 1 INT and fumbled 2 away (one of which was returned for a TD), and that was all she wrote. Don't look now, but the Jets are tied for the division lead.
Bengals 28, Steelers 20 - Yes, these Bengals are definitely for real. Like the Jets/Bills game, the Steelers actually outscored the Bengals, but turnovers were the difference. Make that 5 of them for the Steel Curtain. Carson Palmer was a lot better than Ben Roethlisberger on this day, and that was the story of the game.
Panthers 26, Bucs 24 - Here is something I don't understand. Last week, DeAngelo Williams was Carolina's best offensive player. This week, he got 4 carries and 0 receptions. I guess this is why I'm not a head coach. Regardless, that Panther offense is about 10 times better with Steve Smith in there, as he immediately produced a 100 yard game, as the Panters eeked out the victory in Tampa.
Bears 19, Vikings 16 - Ugh. Pass.
Ravens 15, Browns 14 - Yeah, hold off on that Ravens Super Bowl talk for just a minute here, at least until they can get some consistent offense. Jamal Lewis was ok, Steve McNair was pretty bad for 3 quarters, and the Ravens needed a late Matt Stover FG to sneak by the winless Browns without a decent RB. I'm sorry, I just can't see these guys competing with the Bengals in the North. That said, I really like the trio of Charlie Frye, Braylon Edwards, and Kellen Winslow... a nice foundation there as long as Winslow can keep his head on straight.
Seahawks 42, Giants 30 - The game was definitely a lot more of a blowout than the score would indicate. Looks like the Giants may be closer to the team we saw in the first half against Philly than the team we saw in the 2nd half. I couldn't really watch this game after about the first quarter, and it wasn't because I had something else to do. It was just ugly.
Eagles 38, 49ers 24 - If it weren't for Frank Gore fumbling at the goal line and the Eagles returning it for a TD, this game may have come down to the end (although that would have only made it 24-10 at the time). But regardless, Frank Gore came back down to earth a little bit, while the Eagles offense did not. McNabb looks great, Westbrook gained 117 yards on only 8 carries, and Reggie Brown had a big day. Good fall all around for the Iggles.
Rams 16, Cardinals 14 - Everyone seemed to anoint the Cardinals as sleepers, but someone apparently forgot to tell Kurt Warner, becuase 3 INT and 1 fumble lost later, the Cards are now 1-2. The good news for Arizona is that Edge finally got going, with 94 yards on the ground. Someone told me this earlier, and I agree... Jeff Wilkins is an extremely valuable kicker for fantasy football, because the Rams just can't get it in the endzone. I believe that's 11 FG in 3 games for Wilkins.
Broncos 17, Patriots 7 - I think this game was mostly about the Broncos defense. Champ Bailey shuts down one side of the field, but they also shut down the run (50 yards rushing), and held Brady to a low YPA. That, combined with 2 big plays from Javon Walker was enough for Denver to win this game. One good sign for NE is that Doug Gabriel established himself as a guy who can make some plays at the WR position, which is a rarity for NE these days.
And that's Week 2. The Monday nighter features Atlanta going to New Orleans... my prediction:
Falcons - 27
Saints - 13
Dolphins 13, Titans 10 - Well, Miami sucks worse than everyone thought. They struggled through the first 2 games, but I didn't think they'd have any troubles with a bad Tennessee team. And then Tennessee was up 7-3 at half and it took a late FG from Miami to get the win. It was a regular Daunte Culpepper game... accurate, but not a lot of yards, took a few sacks. Only difference is that they played such a bad team it was enough to escape.
Colts 21, Jaguars 14 - I'm not sure we learned anything here that we didn't already know. Indy has lots of trouble running the ball right now, and the Jaguars defense is real good. The Jaguars defense held Indy to 14 points (with the other 7 coming on Special Teams), and Peyton Manning hit less than 50% of his passes. The thing we really learned is that Maurice Jones-Drew is definitely a big-play guy for this Jags offense.Redskins 31, Texans 15 - As I thought, people were panicking way too early in Washington. Sure, it was the Texans, but once they got a relatively healthy Clinton Portis playing, it's amazing how that did wonders for the offense. For the Texans, Andre Johnson is real good, but the offense and defense continue to look rather mediocre under Gary Kubiak. And ugly 0-3 for them.
Packers 31, Lions 24 - And the Pack win Round 1 in the Battle for the Bottom of the NFC North! Brett Favre, yeah, he can still bring it. After watching Detroit these past 2 weeks and Seattle this week, I have to ask... how in the world did Detroit hold Seattle to 9 points in Week 1?
Jets 28, Bills 20 - That Mangini guy is showing some signs of being a pretty good coach, as the Jets move to 2-1. The Bills outran and outthrew the Jets, but turnovers caused this one to swing into the Jets favor. Losman threw 1 INT and fumbled 2 away (one of which was returned for a TD), and that was all she wrote. Don't look now, but the Jets are tied for the division lead.
Bengals 28, Steelers 20 - Yes, these Bengals are definitely for real. Like the Jets/Bills game, the Steelers actually outscored the Bengals, but turnovers were the difference. Make that 5 of them for the Steel Curtain. Carson Palmer was a lot better than Ben Roethlisberger on this day, and that was the story of the game.
Panthers 26, Bucs 24 - Here is something I don't understand. Last week, DeAngelo Williams was Carolina's best offensive player. This week, he got 4 carries and 0 receptions. I guess this is why I'm not a head coach. Regardless, that Panther offense is about 10 times better with Steve Smith in there, as he immediately produced a 100 yard game, as the Panters eeked out the victory in Tampa.
Bears 19, Vikings 16 - Ugh. Pass.
Ravens 15, Browns 14 - Yeah, hold off on that Ravens Super Bowl talk for just a minute here, at least until they can get some consistent offense. Jamal Lewis was ok, Steve McNair was pretty bad for 3 quarters, and the Ravens needed a late Matt Stover FG to sneak by the winless Browns without a decent RB. I'm sorry, I just can't see these guys competing with the Bengals in the North. That said, I really like the trio of Charlie Frye, Braylon Edwards, and Kellen Winslow... a nice foundation there as long as Winslow can keep his head on straight.
Seahawks 42, Giants 30 - The game was definitely a lot more of a blowout than the score would indicate. Looks like the Giants may be closer to the team we saw in the first half against Philly than the team we saw in the 2nd half. I couldn't really watch this game after about the first quarter, and it wasn't because I had something else to do. It was just ugly.
Eagles 38, 49ers 24 - If it weren't for Frank Gore fumbling at the goal line and the Eagles returning it for a TD, this game may have come down to the end (although that would have only made it 24-10 at the time). But regardless, Frank Gore came back down to earth a little bit, while the Eagles offense did not. McNabb looks great, Westbrook gained 117 yards on only 8 carries, and Reggie Brown had a big day. Good fall all around for the Iggles.
Rams 16, Cardinals 14 - Everyone seemed to anoint the Cardinals as sleepers, but someone apparently forgot to tell Kurt Warner, becuase 3 INT and 1 fumble lost later, the Cards are now 1-2. The good news for Arizona is that Edge finally got going, with 94 yards on the ground. Someone told me this earlier, and I agree... Jeff Wilkins is an extremely valuable kicker for fantasy football, because the Rams just can't get it in the endzone. I believe that's 11 FG in 3 games for Wilkins.
Broncos 17, Patriots 7 - I think this game was mostly about the Broncos defense. Champ Bailey shuts down one side of the field, but they also shut down the run (50 yards rushing), and held Brady to a low YPA. That, combined with 2 big plays from Javon Walker was enough for Denver to win this game. One good sign for NE is that Doug Gabriel established himself as a guy who can make some plays at the WR position, which is a rarity for NE these days.
And that's Week 2. The Monday nighter features Atlanta going to New Orleans... my prediction:
Falcons - 27
Saints - 13
Why is the NFLPA after Carl Poston?
Two months ago, super agent Carl Poston's agent license was officially suspended for 2 years by the NFLPA for his alleged negligent conduct in the negotiations of LaVar Arrington's contract extension with the Redskins that took place back on December 26, 2003 via long-distance telephone and facsimile between Poston (who was at his office in Houston) and the Redskins personnel (who were in Washington). Earlier this year, the NFLPA issued a disciplinary complaint against Poston claiming that he was negligent by certifying a contract on behalf of Arrington that failed to include an agreed upon $6.5 million roster bonus. At the beginnning of this year, the NFLPA's disciplinary committee issued a complaint, held a hearing and imposed a two year suspension. Poston then appealed the NFLPA's determination to an arbitrator as permitted under the NFLPA agent regulations. But he also simultaneously filed a complaint in federal district court asserting that the NFLPA's disciplinary complaint was not based upon verified information; that he was denied the opportunity to be physically present at the NFLPA disciplinary hearing; that he is entitled to the appointment of a neutral arbitrator for his appeal (not one appointed and paid for by the NFLPA); and that the disciplinary complaint is time-barred under the NFLPA agent regulations.
But there's more to Poston's complaint against the union than alleged procedural violations. Poston claims that the Redskins lied to him by falsely indicating that the team had to have a completed deal by the end of the day on December 26, 2003 in order to obtain the desired salary cap relief, and that the Redskins promised Poston over the telephone on the 26th that the contract Arrington was signing in Washington that evening did in fact include the $6.5 million bonus. Immediately thereafter, the NFLPA filed a grievance against the Redskins on behalf of Arrington for breaching the agreement and not including the $6.5 million bonus in the contract as promised, and the union hired Jeffrey Kessler's law firm Dewey Ballantine to handle the grievance against the Redskins on Arrington's behalf. Arrington and the Redskins ultimately settled the grievance amicably and the settlement provided Arrington with a new contract. Kessler is now the attorney on behalf of the NFLPA with respect to the NFLPA's disciplinary proceedings against Poston, and, according to Poston, the allegations in the disciplinary complaint stem from information gathered by the NFLPA's lawyers while representing Arrington in the grievance against the Redskins. Poston asserts in his complaint that it's a conflict of interest for (1) Kessler to use such information without Arrington's consent and (2) Kessler to pursue a disciplinary complaint against Poston (which Arrington opposes) because it's against the interest of Kessler's client (Arrington) to do so.
Poston makes a good point that the arbitrator in disciplinary proceedings with agents is not truly "neutral" although the NFLPA agent regulations state it as such. A neutral arbitrator is one that is mutually agreed to by the parties or chosen through an impartial selection process. Poston obviously feels that it's a waste of his time to try to argue his version of the case in front of the arbitrator. If an arbitrator rules against him, no court could reverse the arbitrator's decision.
But in any event, why is the union after Poston? The NFLPA is charged with looking after the best interests of the players. Here, the only player's interest that is affected would be Arrington's, and he resolved his dispute with the Redskins and he has consistently opposed any disciplinary action against Poston. If Arrington's not upset with his agent, then why is the NFLPA? Arrington recently appeared in court on behalf of Poston on this matter, and the judge acknowledged Arrington's presence, saying: "I see him here today and I recognize that he's very loyal to Mr. Poston."
The union filed a grievance on behalf of Arrington against the Redskins for bad faith negotiations with Poston by taking advantage of the situation with Carl in Houston and by breaching a verbal promise to include the bonus in the contract that Arrington signed in Washington at the "final hour" without the presence of his agent. Interestingly, now in the disciplinary action against Poston, the union is taking an opposite position by essentially claiming that Poston was negligent in not assuming that the team he was negotiating with would be acting in bad faith. Is that negligent? Giving the union the benefit of the doubt here, even if Poston completely fabricated his version of the story, it seems highly suspect that he would just choose to not review the contract of one of his elite clients and overlook whether the contract contained a $6.5 million bonus. Carl is an accomplished attorney and agent, and he and his brother Kevin are notorious for being zealous advocates on behalf of their clients and have obtained some record-breaking contracts over the years. Indeed, when an agent's fee is tied to the value of the contract, you can bet that the first thing the agent will do is ensure that the amount of the player's compensation stated in the contract is accurate!
Having said all of this, I am outspoken about the necessity for players associations to take a more proactive role in their efforts to combat agent misconduct, but this one just doesn't seem to fit the mold.
But there's more to Poston's complaint against the union than alleged procedural violations. Poston claims that the Redskins lied to him by falsely indicating that the team had to have a completed deal by the end of the day on December 26, 2003 in order to obtain the desired salary cap relief, and that the Redskins promised Poston over the telephone on the 26th that the contract Arrington was signing in Washington that evening did in fact include the $6.5 million bonus. Immediately thereafter, the NFLPA filed a grievance against the Redskins on behalf of Arrington for breaching the agreement and not including the $6.5 million bonus in the contract as promised, and the union hired Jeffrey Kessler's law firm Dewey Ballantine to handle the grievance against the Redskins on Arrington's behalf. Arrington and the Redskins ultimately settled the grievance amicably and the settlement provided Arrington with a new contract. Kessler is now the attorney on behalf of the NFLPA with respect to the NFLPA's disciplinary proceedings against Poston, and, according to Poston, the allegations in the disciplinary complaint stem from information gathered by the NFLPA's lawyers while representing Arrington in the grievance against the Redskins. Poston asserts in his complaint that it's a conflict of interest for (1) Kessler to use such information without Arrington's consent and (2) Kessler to pursue a disciplinary complaint against Poston (which Arrington opposes) because it's against the interest of Kessler's client (Arrington) to do so.
Poston makes a good point that the arbitrator in disciplinary proceedings with agents is not truly "neutral" although the NFLPA agent regulations state it as such. A neutral arbitrator is one that is mutually agreed to by the parties or chosen through an impartial selection process. Poston obviously feels that it's a waste of his time to try to argue his version of the case in front of the arbitrator. If an arbitrator rules against him, no court could reverse the arbitrator's decision.
But in any event, why is the union after Poston? The NFLPA is charged with looking after the best interests of the players. Here, the only player's interest that is affected would be Arrington's, and he resolved his dispute with the Redskins and he has consistently opposed any disciplinary action against Poston. If Arrington's not upset with his agent, then why is the NFLPA? Arrington recently appeared in court on behalf of Poston on this matter, and the judge acknowledged Arrington's presence, saying: "I see him here today and I recognize that he's very loyal to Mr. Poston."
The union filed a grievance on behalf of Arrington against the Redskins for bad faith negotiations with Poston by taking advantage of the situation with Carl in Houston and by breaching a verbal promise to include the bonus in the contract that Arrington signed in Washington at the "final hour" without the presence of his agent. Interestingly, now in the disciplinary action against Poston, the union is taking an opposite position by essentially claiming that Poston was negligent in not assuming that the team he was negotiating with would be acting in bad faith. Is that negligent? Giving the union the benefit of the doubt here, even if Poston completely fabricated his version of the story, it seems highly suspect that he would just choose to not review the contract of one of his elite clients and overlook whether the contract contained a $6.5 million bonus. Carl is an accomplished attorney and agent, and he and his brother Kevin are notorious for being zealous advocates on behalf of their clients and have obtained some record-breaking contracts over the years. Indeed, when an agent's fee is tied to the value of the contract, you can bet that the first thing the agent will do is ensure that the amount of the player's compensation stated in the contract is accurate!
Having said all of this, I am outspoken about the necessity for players associations to take a more proactive role in their efforts to combat agent misconduct, but this one just doesn't seem to fit the mold.
SPANISH FOOTBALL . ROUND 4 RESULTS OF "LA LIGA"
Another great & excitinground in the Spanish 1ºDivision this weekend.Highlights include ATLETICODE MADRID 2-1 victoryagainst SEVILLE,with MAXI RODRIGUEZsealing it from a pass fromFERNANDO TORRESMaxi Rodriguez also scored Atletico´s 1º goal with a cracker fromoutside the box. Atletico had a terrible 1º half & went out in the2nd in an aggressive way. Seville lost 2 men to red cards & thisgave
Let's Not Go Crazy: NFL Rules on Eliciting Crowd Noise
The New York Times' John Branch has an interesting story today on NFL efforts to overcome crowd noise ("For NFL, Crowd Noise Has Become a Headache," 9/24/2006). The NFL has been fielding more and more complaints from teams that crowd noise has led to too many off-side penalties. Basically, the louder the crowd, the less teammates are able hear each other before a play begins. It is especially a problem for quarterbacks and their offensive lines.Although the NFL rule book specifies that a home team can be penalized if its crowd becomes too loud, that rule hasn't been enforced. And it hasn't been enforced because a lot of NFL fans like the crowd being "the 12th player" for the home team: very passionate fans can disrupt the visiting team and rattle its players, thus becoming almost defacto members of the home team. So the ability of fans to disrupt the visiting team sort of rewards the "talents" of the real rabid fans.
But new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would like to address player complaints about these rabid fans. Wisely, he is not following the playbook of Boston University for regulating crowd behavior. Instead, Goodell suggests placing microphones in quarterbacks’ helmets and speakers in the helmets of other offensive players, so that play calls and snap counts can be heard despite the noise. Quarterbacks can already use microphones for communication with their head coach, but those communications are cut off with 15 seconds left on the play clock.
Whether or not microphones and speakers are used, it doesn't appear that Goodell will lighten up NFL rules on how teams can elicit reactions from fans. As detailed last Wednesday in the Seattle Times, NFL teams cannot use certain electronic messages or slogans to get the crowd going, including the following:
"Let's go crazy"There are even NFL rules on when the chant "De-fense!" can be encouraged.
"Pump it up"
"Noise!"
"Let's hear it!"
"12th Man"
It's interesting to compare the crowd behavior policies of Boston University and the NFL. Boston University polices the crowd and doesn't let fans swear, while the NFL polices the teams and doesn't let them rile up the fans. The NFL is also considering new technologies that would allow players to overcome crowd noise. No pun intended, but it sounds like that might be the best idea.
BETIS 0 - REAL MADRID 1. DIARRA LEADS THE WAY
REAL MADRID won last night 0 - 1 away at BETIS with a goal fromDIARRA, who showed his class & strenght. Real dominated the matchin a typical "Capello" way, conserving its lead until the end. The teamplayed better & is showing signs of improvement, especially with GUTIplaying & creating the moves.Raul, Beckham & Robinho started on the bench. The bad news was theterrible knee injurysuffered by
MOTO GP. SPANIARDS IN LINE AT JAPAN
The best placed Spaniard was SETE GIBERNAU who finished 4th,in a GP race dominated by Capirossi & Valentino Rossi who finished 2º& managed to cut further the points lead of Nicky Hayden.Result:1. Capirossi2. V.Rossi3. MelandriWorld Title ladder:1. Nicky Hayden 236pts2. V.Rossi 224pts3. Melandri 209ptsSpaniard JORGE LORENZO - pictured - finished 3º & is closer to sealingthe 250cc World
Saturday, September 23, 2006
SAVIOLA. MAN OF DEEP FAITH
Only a club like FC BARCELONA can say ..." you don´t enter inour plans". JAVIER SAVIOLA, the Argentine International &contracted player of Barça, has been loaned out to Monaco, Seville..., is not wanted by the club & they cannot sell him.He believes he can win a place in the side & does´nt want to move.He has faith in hard work, persistence & some luck.Today he has a small prize: he has been
Friday, September 22, 2006
NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 3
And back for another week of thrilling picks! Jacksonville/Indapolis is the big game on the schedule, but there's a lot of good inter-divisional matchups this week.
Redskins (-4) over Texans - The Redskins have not looked good the first 2 weeks, but I think everyone's overreacting a little bit. It's the first 2 games with a new, complex offense, and it's largely been without their best player. The Texans have a trio of Ron Dayne, Samkon Gado, and Wali Lundy at RB. David Carr is playing very well, but Gregg Williams is smart... I think he'll make the Texans run the ball a lot, and I'm not convinced they can.
Jets (+5.5) over Bills - I just find it really hard to pick Buffalo favored by this much with JP Losman as their QB. The defense has been great, and the Bills are at home, but I can't get over JP Losman here. So my pick is the Jets.
Jaguars (+7) over Colts - I still think the Colts will win the game, but 7 is a pretty big spread for as well as Jacksonville played Monday night. I think Joseph Addai will start to get more and more carries for the Colts, and they will just be better and better offensively when that happens. Plus, that Manning fellow is good. But the Jags always play the Colts tough, and I think they'll be able to keep this one close, even in Indy.
Lions (-7) over Packers - The Lions being favored by 7? I guess that shows what the oddsmakers think about the Pack. And me picking the Lions to cover about shows what I think of them as well.
Steelers (-2) over Bengals - I love the Bengals this year, and Palmer is playing great... but it's hard to see the Steelers falling to 1-2. Big Ben should be healthier and the Steelers are at home. Plus, the Bengals will be without their starting center. This is a weak vote for the Steelers, because I think this should be a well-played and competitve game.
Dolphins (-10.5) over Titans - I have very little confidence in Daunte Culpepper... he's not completely healthy, he's making dumb mistakes, taking too many sacks, etc. But, I think the Titans are the worst team in the NFL. Yes, worse than the Raiders. Even with the enormous coaching edge that anyone has over Art Shell. Vince Young should start to see more and more action, and while that's good for the long-run, it's not so good for the short-term.
Vikings (+4) over Bears - so after yesterday we know all about the Vikings and all about the Bears... but who will win the game this week? Well, I think the Bears win a tight one... but I'm still not sold on their offense, especially if Minnesota can stop the run and force Grossman to throw. Plus, I can't pick against the Vikings at home.
Panthers (-3) over Bucs - If Steve Smith plays, I like Carolina here. DeAngelo Williams established last week that he will be a huge contributor offensively, and the defense was superb. As for the Bucs, it appears I significantly overrated them, because they can't do anything offensively, and that won't change against Carolina.
Ravens (-7) over Browns - I admit... I traded for Steve McNair in Fantasy Football and am now a little worried after a couple of subpar performances. Still, the defense is so good that I think the Ravens can score enough points to cover the spread.
Giants (+3.5) over Seahawks - This is purely a gut feeling after the way the Giants finished last week... Seahawks are very talented, but Alexander hasn't been that great. If Strahan and Usi can put pressure on Hasselbeck off the edge, I like the Giants here. Eli Manning's darn good, and the whole offense is very talented. The logic in me says to go with Seahawks, but I'm going with my gut and taking the Giants.
Eagles (-6) over 49ers - The Niners are as improved as any team in football, but I think they'll be taking on any angry Eagle team, and I don't expect Andy Reid to lighten up if his team gets the lead. I see a big day for McNabb and the Eagles, as they go into SF and get a win, which is definitely not as easy as it used to be.
Rams (+4.5) over Cardinals - Ok, the Rams did not look good at all last week against the 49ers. Consider this another gut feeling.
Broncos (+7) over Patriots - Talk about winning ugly... last week the Broncos beat the Trent Green-less Chiefs 9-6 in OT while the Patriots held off the Jets for a 24-17 win. Both teams are having some of the same problems - they can't always pass the ball. For the Broncos, the problem has been Jake Plummer. For the Patriots, Tom Brady hasn't had a whole lot of guys to throw to. This week, I see the Broncos being a little better offensively because Shanahan is really smart, but I also see Brady doing just enough to win the game, but not cover the spread. Broncos are the pick.
Falcons (-4) over Saints - 2-0 is 2-0 is 2-0, but the Saints win have come against Cleveland and Green Bay. Atlana has run the ball all over the field against Carolina and Tampa Bay. I love Reggie Bush, I like The Deuce, and the Saints are a decent bunch, but I just can't see them slowing down Atlanta's run game. Like, at all. I like the Falcons to win by 10+ points.
Last Week: 10-6
Season: 19-13
Redskins (-4) over Texans - The Redskins have not looked good the first 2 weeks, but I think everyone's overreacting a little bit. It's the first 2 games with a new, complex offense, and it's largely been without their best player. The Texans have a trio of Ron Dayne, Samkon Gado, and Wali Lundy at RB. David Carr is playing very well, but Gregg Williams is smart... I think he'll make the Texans run the ball a lot, and I'm not convinced they can.
Jets (+5.5) over Bills - I just find it really hard to pick Buffalo favored by this much with JP Losman as their QB. The defense has been great, and the Bills are at home, but I can't get over JP Losman here. So my pick is the Jets.
Jaguars (+7) over Colts - I still think the Colts will win the game, but 7 is a pretty big spread for as well as Jacksonville played Monday night. I think Joseph Addai will start to get more and more carries for the Colts, and they will just be better and better offensively when that happens. Plus, that Manning fellow is good. But the Jags always play the Colts tough, and I think they'll be able to keep this one close, even in Indy.
Lions (-7) over Packers - The Lions being favored by 7? I guess that shows what the oddsmakers think about the Pack. And me picking the Lions to cover about shows what I think of them as well.
Steelers (-2) over Bengals - I love the Bengals this year, and Palmer is playing great... but it's hard to see the Steelers falling to 1-2. Big Ben should be healthier and the Steelers are at home. Plus, the Bengals will be without their starting center. This is a weak vote for the Steelers, because I think this should be a well-played and competitve game.
Dolphins (-10.5) over Titans - I have very little confidence in Daunte Culpepper... he's not completely healthy, he's making dumb mistakes, taking too many sacks, etc. But, I think the Titans are the worst team in the NFL. Yes, worse than the Raiders. Even with the enormous coaching edge that anyone has over Art Shell. Vince Young should start to see more and more action, and while that's good for the long-run, it's not so good for the short-term.
Vikings (+4) over Bears - so after yesterday we know all about the Vikings and all about the Bears... but who will win the game this week? Well, I think the Bears win a tight one... but I'm still not sold on their offense, especially if Minnesota can stop the run and force Grossman to throw. Plus, I can't pick against the Vikings at home.
Panthers (-3) over Bucs - If Steve Smith plays, I like Carolina here. DeAngelo Williams established last week that he will be a huge contributor offensively, and the defense was superb. As for the Bucs, it appears I significantly overrated them, because they can't do anything offensively, and that won't change against Carolina.
Ravens (-7) over Browns - I admit... I traded for Steve McNair in Fantasy Football and am now a little worried after a couple of subpar performances. Still, the defense is so good that I think the Ravens can score enough points to cover the spread.
Giants (+3.5) over Seahawks - This is purely a gut feeling after the way the Giants finished last week... Seahawks are very talented, but Alexander hasn't been that great. If Strahan and Usi can put pressure on Hasselbeck off the edge, I like the Giants here. Eli Manning's darn good, and the whole offense is very talented. The logic in me says to go with Seahawks, but I'm going with my gut and taking the Giants.
Eagles (-6) over 49ers - The Niners are as improved as any team in football, but I think they'll be taking on any angry Eagle team, and I don't expect Andy Reid to lighten up if his team gets the lead. I see a big day for McNabb and the Eagles, as they go into SF and get a win, which is definitely not as easy as it used to be.
Rams (+4.5) over Cardinals - Ok, the Rams did not look good at all last week against the 49ers. Consider this another gut feeling.
Broncos (+7) over Patriots - Talk about winning ugly... last week the Broncos beat the Trent Green-less Chiefs 9-6 in OT while the Patriots held off the Jets for a 24-17 win. Both teams are having some of the same problems - they can't always pass the ball. For the Broncos, the problem has been Jake Plummer. For the Patriots, Tom Brady hasn't had a whole lot of guys to throw to. This week, I see the Broncos being a little better offensively because Shanahan is really smart, but I also see Brady doing just enough to win the game, but not cover the spread. Broncos are the pick.
Falcons (-4) over Saints - 2-0 is 2-0 is 2-0, but the Saints win have come against Cleveland and Green Bay. Atlana has run the ball all over the field against Carolina and Tampa Bay. I love Reggie Bush, I like The Deuce, and the Saints are a decent bunch, but I just can't see them slowing down Atlanta's run game. Like, at all. I like the Falcons to win by 10+ points.
Last Week: 10-6
Season: 19-13
The Citgo Sign Behind Fenway Park and Fearing Hugo Chavez
In a speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez called President Bush "el diablo" which means "The Devil." Although Chavez's speech drew loud applause and cheer in the Assembly, it has generated a great deal of disdain in the United States, as has his remark that Bush is "an alcoholic." Chavez's remarks have also lead to guilt-by-association of the Citgo Petroleum Corporation, which is the U.S. based refining arm of Venezuela's state-run oil company. Venezuela is the fourth largest foreign source of U.S. oil and petroleum.One proposed sanction of Citgo might affect baseball fans. Local city councilor Jerry McDermott argues that the storied "Citgo Sign" behind Fenway Park should be replaced by the City of Boston with a very large American Flag. Here's McDermott:
"Given the hatred of the United States displayed by dictator Hugo Chavez, it would be more fitting to see an American flag when you drive through Kenmore Square. I think people would soon forget the Citgo sign."I have a better idea: let's do nothing. Really, wouldn't a government seizure of the Citgo sign only support Chavez's argument that we are living in a totalitarian state masked as a democracy? McDermott may be right that "people would soon forget the Citgo sign," but I wonder what else they might soon forget.
Chief Illiniwek Lives to Offend Another Day
On Tuesday, an Illinois appellate court affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit filed by the Illinois Native American Bar Association against the University of Illinois concerning the “Chief Illiniwek” mascot. The court’s opinion is available at Illinois Native American Bar Ass'n v. University of Illinois by Its Bd. of Trustees, 2006 WL 2684269 (Ill.App. 1 Dist.,2006). Plaintiffs argued that the mascot violated a 2003 Illinois Civil Rights Act, which providesa unit of state, county, or local government in Illinois may not:In defense, U of I pointed to a provision of the 1996 University of Illinois Act, which provides:
(1) exclude a person from participation in, deny a person the benefits of, or subject a person to discrimination under any program or activity on the grounds of that person's race, color, or national origin; or
(2) utilize criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination because of their race, color, or national origin.
Consistent with a long-standing, proud tradition, the General Assembly hereby declares that Chief Illiniwek is, and may remain, the honored symbol of a great university, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.The court explained the dispute on appeal:
Plaintiffs contend the two statutes at issue are irreconcilably conflicting and ask this court to decide which statute controls. They say the Illinois Civil Rights Act relates to discrimination and civil rights, while the University of Illinois Act is silent on those subjects. Because the statutes are not governed by the same spirit or policy and do not relate to the same subject, plaintiffs contend the two provisions cannot be harmonized. Furthermore, when the legislature passed the Illinois Civil Rights Act in 2003, it is presumed to have been aware of . . . the University of Illinois Act, passed in 1996. Yet, the legislature did not include an exception in the Civil Rights Act allowing the University to "discriminate against Plaintiffs through the use of an 'Indian' mascot, Chief Illiniwek." As the later and more specific statute, the Civil Rights Act should control, plaintiffs say.Judge Wolfson, writing the court’s opinion, found no conflict between the statutes:
There is no indication in the Civil Rights Act that the legislature intended to "overrule" or otherwise diminish its declaration in the University of Illinois Act that "Chief Illiniwek is, and may remain, the honored symbol of a great university, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign." . . . Given the direct language and glowing exaltation of Chief Illiniwek in the 1996 statute, we believe that had the legislature intended to repeal the provision or supercede it, it would have done so expressly. . . . There is no "irreconcilable conflict" or contradiction between the statutes. Nor is there a need to harmonize the two provisions since the statutes are not related. The plaintiffs concede the two statutes "do not pertain to the same subject and legislative mission," and [the University of Illinois Act] "is silent on the subjects of discrimination and civil rights." In order for two statutes to be in irreconcilable conflict, they must relate to the same subject. . . . They do not in this case.Judge Hoffman’s special concurrence opined that the plaintiffs’ had failed to state a cause of action under the 2003 Civil Rights law regardless of existence or absence of a conflict between the two statutes. The judge wrote:
Distilled to its finest, the plaintiffs' amended complaint asserts that the symbolism of the Chief's performances is discriminatory, and it is that symbolism which the plaintiffs assert creates a hostile environment. . . . [I]f the mere uttering of disparaging words or phrases about a class of persons which engenders offensive feelings is insufficient to establish a hostile environment . . . , I believe it follows that gestures or dress which a member of a class may find offensive are also insufficient.Judge Hall dissented, writing that a reasonable person might be able to conclude plaintiffs had stated a valid civil rights claim.
Given the NCAA’s involvement and the university’s reported decision to abandon the mascot, the plaintiff’s request for injunctive relief may soon be moot. However, in that they have also asked for damages, expect an appeal to the state supreme court.
Game of Shadows' Authors to be Jailed: Rethinking the Reporter's Privilege
San Francisco Chronicle reporters Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada are set to be jailed unless they agree to testify about who leaked them grand jury testimony regarding Barry Bonds and other players alleged to have used illegal steroids (update: also check out an excellent post by Jeffrey Standen on this topic on his new blog on sports law). Back in March, we discussed their popular book, Game of Shadows, which was heavily based on confidential sources, and how Bonds sued them for libel. But yesterday, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White rejected the reporters' request for a monetary fine or house arrest, reasoning that prison time would best compel them to testify before the grand jury. Williams and Fainaru-wada won't have to report to jail until their appeal is heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.Judge White's decision is based on Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665 (1972), where Justice Byron White, writing for the Majority, held that "reporters, like other citizens," must "respond to relevant questions put to them in the course of a valid grand jury investigation or criminal trial."
In other words, Justice White--a former NFL running back and Rhodes Scholar--reasoned that reporters don't deserve to be treated with less scrutiny than an ordinary citizen. Moreover, White argued, citizens should have an obligation to reveal information that could protect fellow citizens from unfounded prosecutions, and that obligation outweighs any First Amendment privileges, even for reporters. Interestingly, Branzburg was also cited for the jailing of New York Times reporter Judith Miller when she refused to reveal to special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald the name of the source who told her about Valerie Plame.
The opposing view to Branzburg is, of course, that our democratic institutions are strengthened by confidential relationships between reporters and their sources. Without those relationships, we may have never learned about Watergate, Iran Contra, or the Lewinsky Scandal, among other instances of government corruption. While that line of reasoning may not seem as powerful in the context of sports corruption, it nevertheless proves relevant.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Interview with a Bears Fan
Like way back in the day (read: 2 months ago) when I interviewed a Tigers fan and vice versa, I am back at it, this time with The Zoner from Zoner Sports, who happens to be a Bears fan versus my being a Vikings fan, which made this a natural match.
Me: The question on everyone's (or at least every fantasy player's) mind - is Rex Grossman for real? He's had a great first 2 games, can he keep it up consistently? What's the difference so far this year for him?
Zoner Sports: I heard a commentator say recently that here inChicago
But I think most Bears fans have thought Rex could be a good pro if he could get the experience and stay healthy. Last week bore that out a bit. And that’s the difference so far—health and comfort factor, as well as Ron Turner calling great games. Don’t expect 35 TD passes, but these certainly aren’t your father’s Bears.
Me: What exactly is going on with the running back situation? Are Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson just splitting carries? What do you think should happen there?
Zoner Sports: Lovie Smith has made it his practice to always play the player that the staff thinks is the better player. He did again this week by naming Danieal Manning the starter and moving Chris Harris to nickel back. Eventually, Benson will assume the load for the Bears. When that will happen is anyone’s guess. If Benson can break some long runs I wouldn’t be surprised to see it sooner rather than later. Jones will not be a Bear next year.
But for now TJ is the starter and that’s how it should be. Most teams now use 2 backs to some extent and it can work.
Me: What is the Bears biggest weakness?
Zoner Sports: Right now hardly anything. But I would say the one thing I’d like to see on Sunday is the Bears stopping the run. Ahman Green ran for 110 in Week 1 after being out for a long time. If Chester Taylor has a good game, teams will say that’s the way to attack the Bears D—to run right at them.
Me: What is your prediction for Sunday's game? Can the Vikings score on the Bears defense?
Zoner Sports: The Vikings have beat 2 teams that a lot of people thought would be in the postseason. I don’t think nationally they are getting many props just yet. The Bears have been amazing, but they played Detroit and the Pack. This is a great ‘shake out’ game for both teams. I hope it’s Bears domination, but a safer prediction is Bears 20, Vikings 13.
Me: Assuming Rex Grossman is for real, do the Vikings realistically have any chance in the division? Bears have the best defense in the NFL, and if the offense is even average, is there a chance for anyone else to win the division?
Zoner Sports: I look it at like this: If the Bears could go 11-5 last year with basically no passing game, what will they do with a healthy Rex and an additional RB in Benson, who was hurt for a lot of last year? If Rex and the offense keep playing like they have, it won’t just be the North—the entire NFC won’t have a chance.
Also, remember to check out his blog for my answers to his questions about the Vikings! Should be a great game Sunday between 2 hard-nosed defenses.
Me: The question on everyone's (or at least every fantasy player's) mind - is Rex Grossman for real? He's had a great first 2 games, can he keep it up consistently? What's the difference so far this year for him?
Zoner Sports: I heard a commentator say recently that here in
But I think most Bears fans have thought Rex could be a good pro if he could get the experience and stay healthy. Last week bore that out a bit. And that’s the difference so far—health and comfort factor, as well as Ron Turner calling great games. Don’t expect 35 TD passes, but these certainly aren’t your father’s Bears.
Me: What exactly is going on with the running back situation? Are Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson just splitting carries? What do you think should happen there?
Zoner Sports: Lovie Smith has made it his practice to always play the player that the staff thinks is the better player. He did again this week by naming Danieal Manning the starter and moving Chris Harris to nickel back. Eventually, Benson will assume the load for the Bears. When that will happen is anyone’s guess. If Benson can break some long runs I wouldn’t be surprised to see it sooner rather than later. Jones will not be a Bear next year.
But for now TJ is the starter and that’s how it should be. Most teams now use 2 backs to some extent and it can work.
Me: What is the Bears biggest weakness?
Zoner Sports: Right now hardly anything. But I would say the one thing I’d like to see on Sunday is the Bears stopping the run. Ahman Green ran for 110 in Week 1 after being out for a long time. If Chester Taylor has a good game, teams will say that’s the way to attack the Bears D—to run right at them.
Me: What is your prediction for Sunday's game? Can the Vikings score on the Bears defense?
Zoner Sports: The Vikings have beat 2 teams that a lot of people thought would be in the postseason. I don’t think nationally they are getting many props just yet. The Bears have been amazing, but they played Detroit and the Pack. This is a great ‘shake out’ game for both teams. I hope it’s Bears domination, but a safer prediction is Bears 20, Vikings 13.
Me: Assuming Rex Grossman is for real, do the Vikings realistically have any chance in the division? Bears have the best defense in the NFL, and if the offense is even average, is there a chance for anyone else to win the division?
Zoner Sports: I look it at like this: If the Bears could go 11-5 last year with basically no passing game, what will they do with a healthy Rex and an additional RB in Benson, who was hurt for a lot of last year? If Rex and the offense keep playing like they have, it won’t just be the North—the entire NFC won’t have a chance.
Also, remember to check out his blog for my answers to his questions about the Vikings! Should be a great game Sunday between 2 hard-nosed defenses.
SPANISH FOOTBALL - "LA LIGA" ROUND 4 FIXTURE
Great weekend of LIGA football with some excellent matcheslined up, as you can see below:1º Div. Round 4 - FixtureBETIS Sat-22:00 REAL MADRIDATLÉTICO Sun-19:00 SEVILLAMALLORCA Sun-20:00 ESPANYOLVILLARREASun-20:00 ZARAGOZALEVANTE Sun-20:00 DEPORTIVOR. SOCIEDAD Sun-20:00 RECREATIVOGETAFE Sun-20:00 ATHLETIC BILBAONÁSTIC Sun-20:00 RACINGCELTA Sun-20:00 OSASUNABARCELONA Sun-21:00 VALENCIALots of
REAL MADRID. GUTI RENEWS HIS CONTRACT
REAL MADRID´s 30 year old midfielder, "GUTI" has verballyshut a deal with Pedja Mijatovic ( Football Director) & RamonCalderon (President) to renew & extend his current contract until2010, according to "AS". This "seals" his future at the Bernabeu.In SFS, personal opinion, Guti is one of Spain´s most overrated players,average to say the least. ¿Would you have renewed him?
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
College Football Picks: Week 4
Normally I preview the top 5 games on Friday, but since I'm planning an interview with Zoner Sports about this weekend's Vikings/Bears matchup, this will be pushed up a day! Unfortunately, there are no great matchups like last week... heck, on paper, there looked to be about 5 games last week that projected to be better than any this week... but let's not let that derail us.Alabama at Arkansas - Not the most riveting matchup on the field, but there's an excellent rivalry here, and these teams are basically fighting for third place in the SEC West after Auburn and LSU. Both teams eeked out wins against Vanderbilt, but that's about it. The key to this game is really how Arkansas freshman QB Mitch Mustain plays against a solid Bama defense. If he plays well, Arkansas wins. If he struggles and gets rattled, Alabama wins. I like his talent to be the difference at home. ARKANSAS 17-14.
Wisconsin at (6) Michigan - After last week, we all know what Michigan is capable of, the key is for them to bring that type of energy every week. With Chad Henne, Michael Hart, and Mario Manningham, they have the offensive talent to compete for a Big 10 title. Wisconsin won't be an easy game though. They're always a solid team, and John Stocco is one of the underrated QBs in a great Big 10. Also, freshman RB PJ Hill Jr. is performing, with 415 rushing yards after 3 games. These guys will help the Badgers put forth a good effort, but I don't see an upset happening in the Big House. MICHIGAN 31 - 17
(22) Arizona St. at (22) California - I really like Rudy Carpenter, and I think he's one of the best QBs in the country. After 3 games he's thrown for 842 yards and 9 TD. However, Cal has rebounded nicely after the Tennessee debacle, especially QB Nate Longshore. After putting up 2 straight solid games, it looks like Cal now has at least a little balance in the offense. The continued improvement of Longshore, along with the explosiveness of Marshawn Lynch is enough to hold off a talent Arizona St. offense. CALIFORNIA 38-31.
(12) Notre Dame at Michigan St. - The Spartans have won 7 of 9 in this matchup, and with Drew Stanton at QB, they have the talent to make it 8 of 10. They'll be taking on a determined Notre Dame team, who got embarrassed at home last week by Michigan. Heralded as a Heisman candidate by everyone, Brady Quinn showed he can become rattled and inaccurate on the deep ball, which is what happened last week. How does he respond? Under the tutelage of Charlie Weis, I think he comes back and plays a great game this week. With these offenses and defenses, whoever has the ball last might win. NOTRE DAME 41-38.
(24) Penn St. at (1) Ohio St. - The Nittany Lions held off to beat the Buckeyes this year, and if the Buckeyes don't pay attention, Penn St. has the talent to come in and beat them again. Penn St. has talented players offensively. Tony Hunt is a very solid RB, and they have a bevy of talented sophomore receivers. However, I think there will be too much Troy Smith in this game... he's dominating everyone through the air, and I expect that to continue. OHIO ST. 34-14.
Last Week: 3-2
Season: 9-6
Redskins' Latest Woe: Closed Captioning Lawsuit Filed
The WSJ Law Blog unearths this tidbit from the Washington Post:The National Association of the Deaf has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Redskins to get team officials to offer closed-captioning for the deaf and hearing-impaired at FedEx Field.A Redskins spokesman says that the team is exploring closed captioning technolgoies "even though NFL teams are not required by law to offer closed-captioning in the stadium." I'm not so sure that the NFL is giving its teams good advice about the ADA on that point. What is the basis for its claim that Title III of the ADA wouldn't require closed captioning? There has been extensive litigation and commentary on whether the ADA mandates particular "lines of sight" for wheelchair bound fans at sports arenas. See, e.g., Adam A. Milani, "Oh Say, Can I See--And Who Do I Sue If I Can't?": Wheelchair Users, Sightlines over Standing Spectators, and Architect Liability Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 52 FLORIDA LAW REVIEW 523 (2000). None of this law, that I'm aware of at least, would immunize the NFL from a Title III (public accomodations) suit under the ADA. "Reasonable modifications" must be made if they would not amount of a "fundamental alternation" of the services provided, and a stadiums are explicitly covered under the definition of "public accomodation." After all, the ADA regulations provide:
The class-action suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, says the team is in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act for failing to provide captioning during games.
* * *
The complaint was filed Aug. 31 on behalf of three fans from Maryland who regularly attend home games. It asks the court to order the Redskins and FedEx Field officials to provide and display captioning on scoreboards and video monitors for all announcements, plays and penalties called during the game.
"I am a lifelong die-hard Redskins fan and I love watching the Redskins play at FedEx Field," Shane Feldman of Silver Spring said in a statement. "But I miss out on the total game experience because I cannot hear the information announced on the public address system. Providing captioning is not rocket science; it is simple, and it is the right thing to do."
A public accommodation shall take those steps that may be necessary to ensure that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied services, segregated or otherwise treated differently than other individuals because of the absence of auxiliary aids and services, unless the public accommodation can demonstrate that taking those steps would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations being offered or would result in an undue burden, i.e., significant difficulty or expense.Thoughts?
The case was filed by Joseph B. Espo, an attorney with Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP in Baltimore, Maryland, according to the NAD's August 31 press release. There is some discussion of the technical issues involved in closed captioning in the comments section on the Deaf DC Blog here.
Do Pro Athletes’ Spouses Waive Privacy Rights?
It may seem obvious that professional athletes have diminished expectations of privacy when compared to a typical person. See O'Brien v. Pabst Sales Co., 124 F.2d 167, 169-170 (5th Cir. 1941), cert. denied, 315 U.S. 823 (1942) (professional athlete waived privacy right by previously seeking publicity); see also Laura Lee Stapleton & Matt McMurphy, The Professional Athlete’s Right of Publicity, 10 MARQUETTE SPORTS LAW JOURNAL 23 (1999). Although courts (and commentators) have not always been clear about the difference between a right to privacy and publicity, it’s long been clear, as one student author noted, that professional athletes, and other public performers, because of the “public” nature of their occupations, are typically considered to have “waived” their right to privacy; they are also probably more psychologically tolerant of having their daily lives depicted in the press.Can the same be said for the family members (and, in particular, the spouses) of professional athletes? From the Globe and Mail:
D. Scott Gurney, Note, Celebrities and the First Amendment: Broader Protection Against the Unauthorized Publication of Photographs, 61 INDIANA LAW JOURNAL 697 (1985/1986).
Tiger Woods was outraged Wednesday at an Irish magazine and a tabloid that linked photos of his wife to various pornography sites, and his agent was studying the merits of a lawsuit.The Dubliner’s efforts seem obviously tortious. Even celebrities, as Jennifer Aniston has recently demonstrated, can assert privacy rights with respect to topless photos under some circumstances. And a photo of the wrong person would seem to offend even the diminished expectation of privacy of a celebrity athlete.
“My wife, yes, she has been a model prior, and she did do some bikini photos,” Woods said. “But to link her to porn Web sites and such is unacceptable, and I do not accept that at all. Neither does our team.”
The Dubliner magazine wrote in its September issue about Elin Nordegren, his Swedish wife of nearly two years.
“Most American golfers are married to women who cannot keep their clothes on in public,” the magazine wrote. “Is it too much to ask that they leave them at home for the Ryder Cup? Consider the evidence. Tiger Woods’ wife can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites.”
There aren’t a lot of guideposts out there regarding the privacy rights of athletes’ spouses. Do spouses surrender their privacy rights to the same extent as the athletes themselves? Should the law should be more forceful in defending the privacy interests of athletes’ spouses?
¿WHO IS OSCAR USTARI?
OSCAR USTARI.Argentine20 years old1,84cmGoalkeeperClub Atletico IndependienteU/20 World ChampionSpeciality: Stopping penalties.Was sub goalkeeper (did´ntplay) Argentine Germany 2006World Cup Squad.Part of the Leo Messi generation.According to "as" , both FC BARCELONA & ARSENAL have this youngster under the microscope, & Barça is seriously thinking ingoing after the young man. ¿Any SFS reader know
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Feels like a links day!
Ok, I had to do a lot of studying for my first Accounting test Wednesday (think of me at about 5:15 CDT!), so I didn't really have time to write something cool and exciting (like I ever do anyway). Which means it's a perfect day to spread some cool links around in the hopes that it will point at least one person to a page they like!
First off, don't look now, but the Minnesota Twins are a 1/2 game behind the Detroit Tigers for the division lead. And Justin Morneau went 5/5 in the game, bumping his average up to .326, and getting his 124th RBI of the year, only 5 behind David Ortiz for the AL Lead. Yes, his MVP argument is strengthening everyday.
I think I agree with Bruins Nation in that Oklahoma is overreacting just a wee bit to the blown call. There is no doubt that it was a completely blown call, and there is absolutely no excuse for missing it both on the field and and in the replay booth... and I can even kinda agree with asking the game to be voided (though it definitely should not be), but now they're talking about canceling their game at Washington next year. I understand that Oklahoma takes their football seriously, but threatening phone calls to the replay official are a little much. Not that that's never been done before, but it's time to move on. Which is what I'll do now.
Why is Deadspin the best around? Exhibit A. Not only is the post itself funny, but the comments are absolutely hilarious.
Kevin Antcliff is back in business on the newly created Mile High Sports!
This didn't take long (and I can't say I blame Lions fans!)
Erasmus James is done for the year... great. :(
Anyway, this is just a little bit to whet your appetite... I'll be back tomorrow with a regularly scheduled post!
First off, don't look now, but the Minnesota Twins are a 1/2 game behind the Detroit Tigers for the division lead. And Justin Morneau went 5/5 in the game, bumping his average up to .326, and getting his 124th RBI of the year, only 5 behind David Ortiz for the AL Lead. Yes, his MVP argument is strengthening everyday.
I think I agree with Bruins Nation in that Oklahoma is overreacting just a wee bit to the blown call. There is no doubt that it was a completely blown call, and there is absolutely no excuse for missing it both on the field and and in the replay booth... and I can even kinda agree with asking the game to be voided (though it definitely should not be), but now they're talking about canceling their game at Washington next year. I understand that Oklahoma takes their football seriously, but threatening phone calls to the replay official are a little much. Not that that's never been done before, but it's time to move on. Which is what I'll do now.
Why is Deadspin the best around? Exhibit A. Not only is the post itself funny, but the comments are absolutely hilarious.
Kevin Antcliff is back in business on the newly created Mile High Sports!
This didn't take long (and I can't say I blame Lions fans!)
Erasmus James is done for the year... great. :(
Anyway, this is just a little bit to whet your appetite... I'll be back tomorrow with a regularly scheduled post!
Devern Hansack: 24-Year-Old Prospect or 28-Year-Old Journeyman?
Devern Hansack is a minor league pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He was the team's best Double A pitcher this year while pitching for the Portland Sea Dogs. He finished up especially strong, giving up only 5 runs, walking 7, and striking out 28 in his last 30 innings pitched. To cap off his run, he won both games that he started in the Sea Dogs' Eastern League Championship series against the Akron Aeros.And while on the field celebrating his team's championship, Hansack learned that the Red Sox were calling him up to The Show. The native of Pearl Lagoon, Nicaragua will make his big league debut later this week, when he joins the team's starting rotation.
So far, there's not all that much interesting about Hansack's story, although it must be neat to learn that you've been called up to the big leagues while you are celebrating a minor league championship. But notice that I haven't given Hansack's age. It's because he's either 24, 26, or 28. You take your pick.
MLB.com claims that he is 28. Hansack himself and the Portland Press Herald claim that he is 26. The Baseball Cube claims that he is 24.
Why the confusion? The Houston Astros' originally signed him in 1999, at which time he was born in 1982. For whatever reason, there is no record of him pitching organized ball from 1999 to 2001. He did, however, pitch in Single A from 2002 to 2003, but was mediocre and the Astros released him. There is also speculation that the Astros released him because they somehow learned that Hansack was older than he had originally asserted, and they became upset about it.
After Hansack was released in 2003, he went back to Nicaragua and became a member of the Nicaraguan National Team. A Red Sox scout noticed him pitching in a winter league and signed him to a minor league contract in December of 2005. He seemed to be born in 1978 when that transaction took place.
In the short-term, Hansack's age doesn't really matter. The Red Sox need pitching, regardless of its age. And whether he's 24, 26, or 28, Hansack could pitch for a number of years to come. But in the long-term, and assuming that Hansack becomes a decent big league pitcher, a four or even two year age difference could dramatically affect his earning capacity, particularly given the earliest age at which he could become a free agent. It could also influence whether the Red Sox want to keep him on their 40-man roster or leave him exposed in the Rule 5 Draft.
Hansack's situation also brings to mind the difficulties of verifying birth dates for some foreign players. Of course, it is not a problem unique to foreign players. Some of you may remember Rich Rowland, a backup catcher for the Tigers and Red Sox during the 90s, who was two years older than he claimed to be, as unbeknownst to most, he had been a lumberjack for a couple of years between high school and college (the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo uncovered the lie, which Rowland made worse by denying). Considering the importance of age for ball players, and how much money teams spend on player development, it seems surprising that players' ages can still be a subject of debate in 2006.
Update 10/2/2006: Only adding to his mysteriousness, Hansack threw a no-hitter for the Red Sox yesterday in the team's final game of the season, but no one seems to have noticed. Granted, it was a 5-inning, rain-shortened no-hitter and is thus not official, and granted, the Red Sox playoff hopes ended weeks ago, but still . . . this young man (or sorta young man) pitched a complete game no-hitter as a rookie--you would think that it would generate more than mere background noise in today's Boston Globe and Boston Herald (e.g., it appears in the 15th paragraph of the Globe's game story!!).
FERNANDO TORRES RENEWS WITH ATLETICO DE MADRID
After 7 years at ATLETICO DE MADRID , its star strikerFERNANDO TORRES has today renewed with the club another 2 years, until 2009. That´s the good news, the other way to lookat this , is the following: His "restriction clause" ( a contract clauseonly in Spain, were any club that pays the stipulated amount literallytakes the player away to his team) goes down to 40,000,000€. That´swithin reach of
Monday, September 18, 2006
Assessing the Playoff and Division Races
With 2 weeks left in the MLB season, now's a good time to take a look at who's winning the divisions, who's in the Wildcard lead in each League, and who has a chance to make the playoffs.AL East: This one is pretty much over. Yankees hold a 10 game lead with 12 games left to play. I've really been amazed at how quickly the Sox have fallen... they were leading if I recall at the All-Star break, and then they made no moves at the deadline, and then the 5-game sweep, and it's been all downhill from there. One semi-interesting note here is the Jays are only 2 games behind Boston for 2nd in the division, and they haven't been there for a while.
AL Central/Wildcard: I combine these only because it looks pretty certain that the Wildcard winner will be coming out... which leaves 2 spots open for 3 teams. As of right now, the Tigers are in the lead, the Twins are 1.5 behind, and the Sox are 6 behind. Here are the remaining schedules:
Twins: @ BOS (3), @ BAL (3), KC (4), CHI (3)
Tigers: @ CHI (2), @ BAL (1), @ KC (3), TOR (3), KC (3)
White Sox: DET (2), SEA (4), @CLE (3), @MIN (3)
The way all of these teams are playing right now, I think Chicago is the odd team out. Their pitching has been inconsistent, and they don't have quite enough offense to make up for it, which is why they're 4-6 in their last 10 and things aren't getting any better. For the division title, I think the Tigers have built up a little too big of a lead and their schedule is a little easier than the Twins. So I have the Tigers winning with the Twins taking the Wildcard.
AL West: A's lead by 6.5 games and they have 13 games left (12 games left for the Angels)... it's more possible for a comeback here than the AL East, but it would take a collossal collapse and I just don't see that happening, as the A's are pitching pretty well and playing good baseball.
NL East: The Mets just clinched Monday... so move along, nothing to see here.
NL Central: Despite a pretty mediocre team outside of Albert Pujols, the Cardinals have managed to build up a 7 game lead in the division, mostly thanks to the extreme awfulness of everyone else. 2nd place Cincy is 4 games under .500.
NL West: And finally an interesting race. It's been back-and-forth lately, but as of now it's the Dodgers that hold a 1/2 game edge in the division over the Padres. A 3rd team, the Giants, is still holding out some hope as well, 4.5 games back. I like the Padres here, because I think their pitching is a little better than the Dodgers.
NL Wildcard: This is potentially the most interesting race... the Giants and Marlins are just barely in the discussion, but they pretty much have to win out at this point. So it'll basically come down to whoevers loses the West and the Phillies. Right now the Padres hold a 1.5 game lead on the Phils. It looks like the Dodgers and Phillies have better overall pitching than the Phils, but the Phils do have Ryan Howard, who's been out of his mind since the All-Star break. Unfortunately, I don't think he'll get quite enough help, which I why I like the loser of the West (the Dodgers in my predictions here) to get the consolation prize of the Wildcard.
Agree with the picks? Disagree with the picks?
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