It’s that time of year again – where teams that barely finished above .500 get invited to another meaningless college bowl games designed to make them feel good about themselves. Yes, it is the collegiate version of the ‘Participation Trophy’ that small children get so that their self-esteem isn’t crushed. At least those are given for, at most, a weekend’s worth of activity. The bowl games go on for a month.
Some of these games are absolutely ridiculous, such as today’s Pinstripe Bowl. Really? The Pinstripe Bowl? Who would sponsor such a thing? The suits worn by Chicago gangsters during the 1930′s? The New York Yankees? Guess we now know why the Steinbrenners are not spending money on free agents this year. The sponsorship rights for this bowl game must have really cut into their budget.
So, who actually cares about these games? Well, the parents of the players involved. Maybe. Chances are, most of them are bored out of their skulls, like they’re stuck watching some crappy elementary school play. At any rate, the only people that have any real interest in these games are degenerate gamblers and Las Vegas. Yup, more chances to separate so-called ‘experts’ from their cash when they bet on a college they just learned existed.
Seriously, why do these bowl games exist? Just to pump more money into the coffers of the NCAA. Meanwhile, they will just continue to be ignored by the world at large.
Showing posts with label college football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college football. Show all posts
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Big Not Quite East
The Big East, a conference that has been plundered so often recently that it may as well be considered for a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, has finally added several new colleges. These colleges are Boise State, San Diego State, SMU, Houston, and UCF. Boise State and San Diego State will join for football exclusively, while the other three schools are joining for all sports.
Obviously, Big East schools are paying most of their attention to sports, and not as much to education. If they had even the slightest knowledge of basic geography, they would be aware that Idaho and California are not exactly close to the east coast. In fact, neither are Houston or SMU, but they are a lot closer than Boise Sate and San Diego State. Suppose the argument could be made that Idaho and California are east of some things, like Anchorage and Hawaii, but does that truly matter?
College realignment has completely disregarded the notion of proximety. In fact, the Big East has completely disregarded the notion of having all their schools in the same time zone. They now have their new claim to fame – being the first conference in college athletics to have schools in all four continental time zones. This is such an accomplishment, that the conference trophy should be replaced with a time zone map and each school can play for a year’s supply of No Jet Lag – the medication used by such notable teams as the All Blacks (please send us money for the advertising, thanks).
Then there is the question of what this conference should be named. The Big East Of Alaska? The Big Not So East? The Big Time Zone? The Big Screw All Semblance Of Caring About Education For The Athletes? Or what about getting rid of all pretense of being about ‘amateur’ play, and sell the naming rights for the conference? Seriously, why wouldn’t a company like Jet Blue or Southwest Airlines jump all over this? This conference is tailor made for their area of expertise.
So, at least one conference has the nerve to admit what they truly are. Let’s hear it for the Big East – the first conference that really only cares about their standing amongst athletic programs.
Obviously, Big East schools are paying most of their attention to sports, and not as much to education. If they had even the slightest knowledge of basic geography, they would be aware that Idaho and California are not exactly close to the east coast. In fact, neither are Houston or SMU, but they are a lot closer than Boise Sate and San Diego State. Suppose the argument could be made that Idaho and California are east of some things, like Anchorage and Hawaii, but does that truly matter?
College realignment has completely disregarded the notion of proximety. In fact, the Big East has completely disregarded the notion of having all their schools in the same time zone. They now have their new claim to fame – being the first conference in college athletics to have schools in all four continental time zones. This is such an accomplishment, that the conference trophy should be replaced with a time zone map and each school can play for a year’s supply of No Jet Lag – the medication used by such notable teams as the All Blacks (please send us money for the advertising, thanks).
Then there is the question of what this conference should be named. The Big East Of Alaska? The Big Not So East? The Big Time Zone? The Big Screw All Semblance Of Caring About Education For The Athletes? Or what about getting rid of all pretense of being about ‘amateur’ play, and sell the naming rights for the conference? Seriously, why wouldn’t a company like Jet Blue or Southwest Airlines jump all over this? This conference is tailor made for their area of expertise.
So, at least one conference has the nerve to admit what they truly are. Let’s hear it for the Big East – the first conference that really only cares about their standing amongst athletic programs.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Handling College Scandals
In light of recent allegations made by convicted felon Nevin Shapiro, the University of Miami is looking at a bleak future. In claims made to Yahoo! Sports, he has claimed to have given money, prostitutes, and even paid for an abortion for over seventy former and current players at the university. Shapiro had access to places that most people were not allowed to go into, and was often seen out with players at nightclubs, parties, and other venues.
As such, there are rumors that the University of Miami could be given the death penalty, which would set the program back for a long time. The days of the U being one of the preeminent college football factories would be all but over. The brunt of the punishment would fall upon players and a coaching staff that had nothing to do with the situation, but would be forced to play under the realization that they are essentially screwed.
Yet, is this the best solution? To punish a team, and subsequently players, for years that may not have had anything to do with the scandal? Often, the coaching staff that was in charge during the payoffs and scandals has long since left. The players are no longer with the university. Regardless, the institution and their football team bares the brunt of the punishment while those responsible walk away without any repercussions. Is this truly in the best interests of the NCAA?
There is a better way. Place these sanctions on the coach and, if he has knowledge of the situation, the athletic director that were there during that time. The coach leaves, the sanctions follow the coach and athletic director. Do not place the punishment upon people that had nothing to do with what was happening. Put the punishment where it belongs – on those responcible.
By doing so, it takes away the safety net of being able to move to another program and not have to deal with the problem. For instance, why should Pete Carroll be able to go to another college with a clean slate when his former school is paying for transgressions that occurred under his watch? It is not right. Make Carroll pay for what happened, not people that were not even there.
This would be the best course of action, and would cause coaches to pay more attention to what is actually happening off the field. However, this is a logical solution, and any entity that thinks a playoff to determine a national champion is wrong obviously cannot be expected to do the logical thing.
As such, there are rumors that the University of Miami could be given the death penalty, which would set the program back for a long time. The days of the U being one of the preeminent college football factories would be all but over. The brunt of the punishment would fall upon players and a coaching staff that had nothing to do with the situation, but would be forced to play under the realization that they are essentially screwed.
Yet, is this the best solution? To punish a team, and subsequently players, for years that may not have had anything to do with the scandal? Often, the coaching staff that was in charge during the payoffs and scandals has long since left. The players are no longer with the university. Regardless, the institution and their football team bares the brunt of the punishment while those responsible walk away without any repercussions. Is this truly in the best interests of the NCAA?
There is a better way. Place these sanctions on the coach and, if he has knowledge of the situation, the athletic director that were there during that time. The coach leaves, the sanctions follow the coach and athletic director. Do not place the punishment upon people that had nothing to do with what was happening. Put the punishment where it belongs – on those responcible.
By doing so, it takes away the safety net of being able to move to another program and not have to deal with the problem. For instance, why should Pete Carroll be able to go to another college with a clean slate when his former school is paying for transgressions that occurred under his watch? It is not right. Make Carroll pay for what happened, not people that were not even there.
This would be the best course of action, and would cause coaches to pay more attention to what is actually happening off the field. However, this is a logical solution, and any entity that thinks a playoff to determine a national champion is wrong obviously cannot be expected to do the logical thing.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Don't Blame Tressel
After a five month saga involving investigations into Ohio State University and several of it's players, Jim Tressel resigned on Memorial Day. The fact that he left the university is not surprising on it's own, but what is surprising is that he left of his own accord.
Tressel was originally suspended for two games by the university due to his players getting deals on cars, selling championship rings and jerseys, and parting with team items for money. Meanwhile, the players that were mainly involved were suspended for five games. With all of the outrage over the token suspension that he was given, Tressel added on another three games to his own punishment. Now, as the scandal continues to deepen and his knowledge of the situation has proven to be more extensive than previously thought, Tressel has resigned rather than continue to face the scrutiny that he is under.
Sure, it is easy to vilify Tressel for looking the other way, and not being forthright with investigators. It's easy to make him the bad guy in all of this, and the fact that very few people are running to his defense speaks volumes. But what is lost in all of this is that Ohio State University and Jim Tressel are not the only ones doing these things. This happens everywhere.
Colleges provide scholarships for their athletes - this is true. But what do they provide for housing and for meals? Where do these kids get the money to go out and have fun? It's easy to say that they should get a job, but if they are expected to carry a certain GPA, AND practice forty hours a week, where is the time to be employed? The rigors of a full-time college schedule can be quite daunting on their own, never mind trying to learn a playbook and be a part of a team expected to contend for a national championship every year.
If the NCAA really wanted to dig into every program, they would find skeletons in every closet. However, the NCAA likes the status quo, where they slap down a few schools dumb enough to get caught and turn a blind eye to the rest. If Tressel is truly guilty of anything, it is getting caught.
The NCAA and these schools make obscene amounts of money from their college football and basketball athletes, yet none of the players see a dime of it. If the NCAA was serious about stopping these situations, they would give the athletes a weekly stipend to take care of their day to day, and not have to resort to selling a jersey to make rent. If the choice is to break the rules and have a place to stay or follow the rules and be homeless, which would you do?
But the NCAA is more concerned with upholding the facade of the 'student-athlete' and the supposed amateur aspect of their game, claiming that it is for the good of these kids. If they truly cared about the students, they would find ways to keep them from having to worry about whether or not they should be signing an autograph to get food.
Tressel, while at fault, is hardly the only bad guy in all of this. The entire system is rotten to the core.
Tressel was originally suspended for two games by the university due to his players getting deals on cars, selling championship rings and jerseys, and parting with team items for money. Meanwhile, the players that were mainly involved were suspended for five games. With all of the outrage over the token suspension that he was given, Tressel added on another three games to his own punishment. Now, as the scandal continues to deepen and his knowledge of the situation has proven to be more extensive than previously thought, Tressel has resigned rather than continue to face the scrutiny that he is under.
Sure, it is easy to vilify Tressel for looking the other way, and not being forthright with investigators. It's easy to make him the bad guy in all of this, and the fact that very few people are running to his defense speaks volumes. But what is lost in all of this is that Ohio State University and Jim Tressel are not the only ones doing these things. This happens everywhere.
Colleges provide scholarships for their athletes - this is true. But what do they provide for housing and for meals? Where do these kids get the money to go out and have fun? It's easy to say that they should get a job, but if they are expected to carry a certain GPA, AND practice forty hours a week, where is the time to be employed? The rigors of a full-time college schedule can be quite daunting on their own, never mind trying to learn a playbook and be a part of a team expected to contend for a national championship every year.
If the NCAA really wanted to dig into every program, they would find skeletons in every closet. However, the NCAA likes the status quo, where they slap down a few schools dumb enough to get caught and turn a blind eye to the rest. If Tressel is truly guilty of anything, it is getting caught.
The NCAA and these schools make obscene amounts of money from their college football and basketball athletes, yet none of the players see a dime of it. If the NCAA was serious about stopping these situations, they would give the athletes a weekly stipend to take care of their day to day, and not have to resort to selling a jersey to make rent. If the choice is to break the rules and have a place to stay or follow the rules and be homeless, which would you do?
But the NCAA is more concerned with upholding the facade of the 'student-athlete' and the supposed amateur aspect of their game, claiming that it is for the good of these kids. If they truly cared about the students, they would find ways to keep them from having to worry about whether or not they should be signing an autograph to get food.
Tressel, while at fault, is hardly the only bad guy in all of this. The entire system is rotten to the core.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Major League Baseball - Model Sports Organization???
For years, Major League Baseball has been criticized, and rightly so, for it's inability to get out of it's own way. They have had a multitude of labor stoppages over the past 40 years (8, to be exact) - the most infamous being the one in 1994 that cancelled the World Series. Baseball took the brunt of the wrath spewed forth by opportunistic congressmen when the steroids scandal erupted thanks to Jose Canseco's book. There is the enduring image highlighting the general ineptitude of baseball, with Bud Selig looking confused as the All-Star Game ended in a tie.
And yet, suddenly baseball appears to be ahead of the other sports in terms of handling their issues. Since 2002, there has been labor peace. Even though their collective bargaining agreement is up after this year, there are no threats of a lockout, unlike the NFL and the NBA. In fact, both Selig and the player's union are optimistic that a new CBA will be agreed upon in the near future.
Despite the bad rap that the MLB gets for steroids and performance enhancing drugs, the truth is that baseball not only has the strictest penalties for using such substances, but they appear to have fewer players using them. It is not uncommon to hear that a football player got suspended for PEDs, yet no one really seems to care. Meanwhile, if a baseball player gets caught, it's a travesty and an affront to everything that society holds sacred. Little bit of a double standard there, and a completely undeserved one.
And now, the MLB finds itself on the forefront of the concussion issue. Although concussions are a much bigger problem in the NFL and NHL, baseball has created a new seven day disabled list strictly for players who have gotten a concussion. This way, rather than lose a player for 15 days when they could be ready to play in a week, the team can get that player back when he is healthy. With all the talk of the NFL trying to force an 18 game schedule down the player's throats, why has this concept not been brought up in their meetings? Why has the NHL not adopted something like this, so that players that will be gone for a game or two do not take up a roster spot?
Bud Selig and Major League Baseball make for easy targets when one looks to rip a sports organization for mismanagement. However, baseball actually has it's act together. Shocking, is it not?
And yet, suddenly baseball appears to be ahead of the other sports in terms of handling their issues. Since 2002, there has been labor peace. Even though their collective bargaining agreement is up after this year, there are no threats of a lockout, unlike the NFL and the NBA. In fact, both Selig and the player's union are optimistic that a new CBA will be agreed upon in the near future.
Despite the bad rap that the MLB gets for steroids and performance enhancing drugs, the truth is that baseball not only has the strictest penalties for using such substances, but they appear to have fewer players using them. It is not uncommon to hear that a football player got suspended for PEDs, yet no one really seems to care. Meanwhile, if a baseball player gets caught, it's a travesty and an affront to everything that society holds sacred. Little bit of a double standard there, and a completely undeserved one.
And now, the MLB finds itself on the forefront of the concussion issue. Although concussions are a much bigger problem in the NFL and NHL, baseball has created a new seven day disabled list strictly for players who have gotten a concussion. This way, rather than lose a player for 15 days when they could be ready to play in a week, the team can get that player back when he is healthy. With all the talk of the NFL trying to force an 18 game schedule down the player's throats, why has this concept not been brought up in their meetings? Why has the NHL not adopted something like this, so that players that will be gone for a game or two do not take up a roster spot?
Bud Selig and Major League Baseball make for easy targets when one looks to rip a sports organization for mismanagement. However, baseball actually has it's act together. Shocking, is it not?
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Six Months Too Late
On October 27, 2010, Notre Dame student filmmaker Declan Sullivan died while filming practicee from atop a hydraulic lift during a windstorm. Yesterday, the university announced that it would no longer use these lifts to film football practices, and would be installing a camera system. Mounted on fifty foot poles, these cameras would record the practices and use fiber optics to relay the images back to the control room across the street, where the films can be analyzed.
Rev. John Jenkins, president at Notre Dame, stated "I said in the days after Declan's death that we would do everything in our power to make changes to ensure that such an accident does not happen again -- here or elsewhere," Jenkins said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press in regards to the new system. What is left out of that statement is that everything in his power involved waiting six months after the tragedy occurred.
What is left unsaid in his statement is whether or not the hydraulic lifts were used after the incident involving Declan Sullivan. For all the handwringing, promises to change systems, and tributes for this student, did it really need to take so long to change the dynamic? These practices were still filmed for the coaching staff - probably by some other student who was placed upon another elevated platform.
This declaration, while dressed up as a positive for Notre Dame in keeping a promise made, is really nothing more than a poor joke. If they were truly interested in 'doing everything in their power' and 'making changes to ensure such an accident does not happen again', then the camera system would have been installed within a couple of weeks. This should not have taken six months. The only logical explanation? That Rev. Jenkins did not want to disrupt the staff of the football team and make them adjust to a new way of obtaining data until after the season.
Notre Dame, the football staff, and Rev. Jenkins failed both Declan Sullivan and his family when he died during the windstorm. Six months later, they have failed him again.
Rev. John Jenkins, president at Notre Dame, stated "I said in the days after Declan's death that we would do everything in our power to make changes to ensure that such an accident does not happen again -- here or elsewhere," Jenkins said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press in regards to the new system. What is left out of that statement is that everything in his power involved waiting six months after the tragedy occurred.
What is left unsaid in his statement is whether or not the hydraulic lifts were used after the incident involving Declan Sullivan. For all the handwringing, promises to change systems, and tributes for this student, did it really need to take so long to change the dynamic? These practices were still filmed for the coaching staff - probably by some other student who was placed upon another elevated platform.
This declaration, while dressed up as a positive for Notre Dame in keeping a promise made, is really nothing more than a poor joke. If they were truly interested in 'doing everything in their power' and 'making changes to ensure such an accident does not happen again', then the camera system would have been installed within a couple of weeks. This should not have taken six months. The only logical explanation? That Rev. Jenkins did not want to disrupt the staff of the football team and make them adjust to a new way of obtaining data until after the season.
Notre Dame, the football staff, and Rev. Jenkins failed both Declan Sullivan and his family when he died during the windstorm. Six months later, they have failed him again.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
National Signing Day
Today is considered to be National Signing Day, which is the day that most of the heavily touted high school football players declare which schools they will be attending. lately, such entities as ESPN have been trying to hype this day, even going as far as to televise these kids as they announce which school will get their services.
As with anything of a similar nature, people attempt to determine who the 'winners' and 'losers' are. For instance, Florida State and Auburn are considered to have two of the strongest recruiting classes of the year. Such projections are not only meaningless, but completely asinine. To state that one schools 17 to 18 year old kids are going to outperform another schools' kids is ridiculous. How is this determined? By seeing which schools got more of the players ranked within a specific criteria? Just because pundits happen to think that certain kids make up the 150 best high school football players in the country doesn't mean that A. They will be productive in college or B. That they will considered in the top 150 from that class later when they graduate, or even next year.
Also, televising these kids as they put on the hat of whatever school that are going to attend is utterly ridiculous. People continually act surprised when big time recruits walk around and act as though everything should be handed to them. Or that their egos are incredibly inflated. Well, televising their decisions on which school to attend or discussing it in detail does not help. In fact, it just further fans the flames. Continually discussing their thought process, poring over anything said prior to their decision to try to guess where they end up, and trying to make this the biggest sports story of the day only furthers the sense of entitlement.
Yes, this is a big deal - to those kids and the schools they choose. It just shouldn't be a televised event. And it definitely should not come with a list of who 'won' and 'lost' the recruiting war.
As with anything of a similar nature, people attempt to determine who the 'winners' and 'losers' are. For instance, Florida State and Auburn are considered to have two of the strongest recruiting classes of the year. Such projections are not only meaningless, but completely asinine. To state that one schools 17 to 18 year old kids are going to outperform another schools' kids is ridiculous. How is this determined? By seeing which schools got more of the players ranked within a specific criteria? Just because pundits happen to think that certain kids make up the 150 best high school football players in the country doesn't mean that A. They will be productive in college or B. That they will considered in the top 150 from that class later when they graduate, or even next year.
Also, televising these kids as they put on the hat of whatever school that are going to attend is utterly ridiculous. People continually act surprised when big time recruits walk around and act as though everything should be handed to them. Or that their egos are incredibly inflated. Well, televising their decisions on which school to attend or discussing it in detail does not help. In fact, it just further fans the flames. Continually discussing their thought process, poring over anything said prior to their decision to try to guess where they end up, and trying to make this the biggest sports story of the day only furthers the sense of entitlement.
Yes, this is a big deal - to those kids and the schools they choose. It just shouldn't be a televised event. And it definitely should not come with a list of who 'won' and 'lost' the recruiting war.
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