Back to a No Fun League...and the NCAA keeps making money

From where I sit it looks like the NFL is back...and so are attempts to spoil the fun.

I understand, you don't want players taunting. But what does this accomplish? Set rules that make a little more sense. There doesn't need to be a sack dance after a 1^st down...or knocking down a pass. What harm is it doing by celebrating? If you don't want a someone gloating over you...don't let them beat you. I don't see how this could be any simpler. Take a look at some CFL celebrations...

Gloating? Sure. Choreographed? You bet. Entertaining? Hells ya. It's fun. Even against a hated rival it's still fun to watch the party in the endzone. Here's a perfect message to any player offended by this stuff: Play better and you won't have to worry about it.

The NCAA is in the headlines...again...now they aren't going to sell team or player gear on their page.

via twitter.com

That sounds like a big step back from making a profit off the backs of kids. Until you looks a little deeper. This is just the NCAA store. Its got nothing to do with the various schools they represent. Those guys will still be making money selling jerseys, hats, jackets, etc. And it's still sickening. Imagine how this would sound in a standard work place. “We expect you to represent our brand perfectly. We want you be an upstanding citizen. You will travel, work hard and if you fail at your job get heavily criticized for it. In exchange we will give you an education, room and board. You better get good grades. And don't even think about trying to make money on the side. You and your image are our property.” I like the part about getting an education, but the rest sounds disconcertingly like slave labour.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Should the NFL allow players to celebrate...what do you think?

Rodriguez is suspended and plays anyway...Manziel is in trouble for autographs

From where I sit it looks like Alex Rodriguez has finally been suspended...kinda.

via telegraph.co.uk

Sure, MLB has kicked him out for the remainder of this season and all of the next, but A-Rod is appealing so he can keep playing. Since when does a convict get to stay free while he appeals his case? If Rodriguez wants to appeal he can sit out until a decision is rendered. Then any back pay owed him should be reinstated. Not the other way round. Rodriguez is the defendant here, not the league. Not only would it remove a probably cheating player from the game sooner, but allow the suspension to be served. The appeal might not be heard until September, or even later. If it's upheld what happens to those game he played in? Do the Yankees forfeit for using an ineligible player? Nope. Does he still serve the full 211 games? Doubt it. Why the hell is this guy allowed to keep playing? Oh ya...it's baseball.

The star quarterback at Texas A&M is facing allegations he got paid...to sign autographs.

 

via beckett.com

Johnny Manziel allegedly got money for scribbling his name on a bunch of memorabilia, so what? The NCAA claims to have concerns about their integrity and those of the players. Sure they do. They run a multi-billion dollar business on the backs of kids. And flatly refuse to share the wealth. It's as stupid and outdated as the Olympic ideal of amateur athletes. The vast majority of these kids will never make millions of dollars playing pro football. The vast majority will never play pro at all. Not NFL, CFL or Arena. Nothing. Even top prospects can still washout at a young age. JaMarcus Russell immediately springs to mind. So, if they want to earn some money on their own names, let them. A quick flip through this list shows a number of players who should have been allowed to take advantage of their star status at the college level, because they did nothing after that.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Pressure mounts to boycott Sochi and the M's manager gets confused

From where I sit it looks like there's more calls for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics.

via change.org

Not only do I understand the outrage, but I fully agree with it. For the Russian government to drop this bomb on the world in the months leading up to an Olympiad is a dangerous precedent. However, there's two things to keep in mind. Firstly, the summer games were held in China and everyone showed up. Last I looked the list of social injustices in China is a mile long. Secondly, what does a boycott really accomplish? Some people have acted out against Florida for the Trayvon Martin verdict. This isn't hurting the state, just innocent others who happen to live there. Apparently, it's guilt by association. A boycott usually leads to little or no change. Want to make a difference? Stand up to the bully. Go to Sochi and be yourself. No matter who you are. After all, if you can play, you can play.

On a lighter note, acting Mariners manager Robby Thompson needs a reminder how to remember left vs right.

via forthewin.com

At the same time, is this really a rule? He called for the wrong pitcher. Evidently he can't go, 'Wait a minute I want the other guy.' Sure, the Red Sox made a great rally. They may have won anyway. But, shouldn't the manager be able to put in the pitcher he wants? If Thompson had gotten back to the dugout and changed his mind, tough luck. He used the wrong hand. Oliver Perez hadn't even left the bullpen. But it was too late. The umpire saw Thompson's left hand and that was it. I really hope it's not in the books. It seems more like something left over from the ancient days of baseball, when any trick was in play. He used the wrong hand. It wasn't an attempted deception, it was an inexperienced manager screwing up. On the other hand, we might have missed a fantastic comeback if he hadn't.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Has your team made a terrible decision that cost them the game? Let's hear it...

Give A-Rod the boot and another sports riot

From where I sit it looks like MLB isn't interested in giving Alex Rodriguez a break.

 via telegraph.co.uk

Good. They shouldn't. The guy is a scammer and a cheat. He's lied to everyone and continues to deny all accusations. I don't really understand what Rodriguez is trying to accomplish. It seems unfathomable that he's innocent. And with MLB looking at other ways to get him suspended it's hard to think A-Rod is anything but guilty. So, what's with the fight? How much is he paying his lawyers? He's not got much left in his career anyway. Rodriguez is 38, how many more seasons can he possibly have? He's making himself a target, and it looks like the league is quite content to take dead aim at him. I am fine with that. I'm tired of the arrogance. I'm tired of the lies. I'm tired of the bullshit. Just throw them out.

Once again a sporting event has been rocked by rioting...

That's Los Angeles. No, it's not over the Lakers. Not the Kings. Not the Dodgers or the Angles. It's Huntington Beach. Following the US Open Surfing Championships. Surfing? Riots? It's pathetic...and hilarious at the same time. Every time fans riot, we all end up looking like idiots. But, quite frankly, this is worse. It's surfing. In southern California. The LA area has seen it's own share of riots. Far too many had to do with racial tension. But take a look at the morons in this video. This isn't Compton. These aren't youth from the inner city. These are middle class kids with nothing better to do after a surfing contest. Arrest them and toss them in with the real criminals. Even for a night or two.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A new arena in bankrupt Detroit and the Eskimos continue to struggle

From where I sit it looks like another new NHL rink is in the works...this time in Detroit.

via wikipedia

That sounds like a good plan. Joe Louis Arena is getting old. The Red Wings are an integral part of the NHL. So, it only makes sense that they get a new arena. It's always a contentious issue when the idea of a new stadium is floated. But, the timing here couldn't be worse. Detroit is bankrupt. Not the team. The city. The city is bankrupt and they're talking about a new arena? $284 million dollars from the city? Quite frankly, it's not just moronic, but dangerous. Take a scared and confused city, then planning to throw money around can't be a wise way to gain trust. Of the populace or otherwise. Yes, the Red Wings will need a new rink, but now is not the time. Get your city in order, then we can talk $650 million dollars for hockey teams.

It's not often a team's season can be summed up in two plays...but it's possible with the Eskimos.

via canadian press

A pathetic showing on 1st-and-goal with 28 seconds left. They only got two plays off. It looked like a fire drill. Yes, John White's run should have been reviewed. That's no excuse for the Eskimos to be unprepared for the last two plays. There was about 11 seconds left following White getting stopped. That should be an incompletion and a QB sneak. At worst. As for the last play...who's brilliant idea was that? A draw play? I'd say it looked like the Eskimos had no confidence in their offensive line, but it's almost the opposite. Montreal had basically everyone cramming the line of scrimmage...and Edmonton had five linemen. Even if Craig Cox had been blocked, there were so many Alouettes in the backfield White wasn't going anywhere. Oh ya...and the Eskimos picked up another 13 penalties for 111 yards. It's hard to win when you're basically giving up a free touchdown every game.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A real suspension from MLB and a clean Tour winner?

From where I sit it looks like MLB has finally stepped up to the plate.

via cbsnews.com

With Braun gone for the next couple months the League is throwing the book at him. And I hope it leaves a dent! PEDs have become an epidemic in sports. More frustrating for me is the self-righteous jerks coming out with their faux denials. Just shut up. Tell the truth. You got caught. There's the apocryphal story of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the boy begging, “Say it ain't so Joe, say it ain't so.” To which Jackson allegedly replied, “Yup kid, I'm afraid it is.” Give me the truth. Please. Remember Andy Pettite used PEDs. He confessed and is still highly regarded. But, it's the liars like Braun who leave fans grasping for any semblance of truth. Or faith in their heroes.

Which leads quite nicely to a deserving Tour de France champion...I think

via telegraph.co.uk

I want to believe Chris Froome. I want to think that he's clean. I really do. But it's not easy. With all the sordid recent history of the Tour I have a hard time putting my faith in any bicycle racer. Froome seems honest and forthright. He's faced a lot of questions in the last couple of weeks. The vast majority of them along the same line...are you clean? Can we trust you? Sadly, we have all been taken by Lance Armstrong and his career of lies. This has left all riders cursed. No matter how upstanding the rider, there will be questions. Possibly for years. It's a hopeless situation for everyone. It's not only the riders having their accomplishments questioned, but robbing the fans of the enjoyment of competition. This looks like the biggest fallout from the Armstrong debacle. It's not just the impact on the riders. But leaving the fans wondering if any of it is worth the effort.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The Leafs plan a Stanley Cup parade and more stupid NFLers

From where I sit it looks like the new CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Tim Leiweke is in trouble...already.

via thechestnutparkblog.com

To be honest I agree with him on a certain level. Leiweke wants to remove the pictures from where the players can see them. He's not talking about the concourse or ignoring the history, but not reminding the players every time they walk to the ice. Let's face it, the parents of these players might not be old enough to remember the last Cup in Toronto. Montreal is similar, but does it in a much different way. The celebration of tradition for the Canadiens stretches back 60 years. With Toronto it just feels forced. As for planning the parade route...why not? What's the worst that could happen? The Leafs don't win? If it helps start a winning mentality let him plan it. And if it works...every team in the league will start.

Meanwhile, in the latest edition of athletes acting like idiots we get the NFL's Pouncey brothers.

via espn.go.com

I need to take a step back and remind everyone, including myself, that we live in a society in which everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty. So is Aaron Hernandez. However, that doesn't excuse the behaviour of this two morons. They didn't speak out in support of a friend, they wore hats demanding 'Free Hernandez'. He's not being held captive, he's being held for murder, among other things. And these bozos think they're being witty. It's more of a sad comment on the current state of football, when a player being arrested isn't shocking any more. According to ArrestNation.com there have been 38 pro footballers arrested/cited/charged just this year. That's tied with college basketball for 2^nd. College football is 1^st with an appalling 76. Just for reference pro basketball and pro baseball have seven each. Pro hockey only one. More importantly it's time for these idiots to stop acting like, well, idiots. I don't think it's asking too much for athletes to show at lest some restraint. In the words of John F Kennedy, “To those whom much is given, much is expected.”

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.