NOTRE DAME'S QB IN 2012: PHILLIP ELY?

Notre Dame lost out on QB Bubba Starling last week when he pulled a bit of a surprise and decided to commit to Nebraska. Part of the reason why Starling committed to Nebraska despite being a heavy lean to Notre Dame was because of his elite baseball status as a prospect and the fact that Notre Dame currently doesn't have a head baseball coach. What looked like a big loss for the Notre Dame football program could become a blessing with the opening of a spot now available for Tampa's Plant High School rising senior Phillip Ely.

Ely is a 4 star QB who replaced now Georgia Bulldogs starter Aaron Murray during his sophomore season when Murray went down with injury. Not a big kid (6'1 186) Ely relies on a quick release to avoid the pass rush and appears to read defenses extremely well. He is being heavily recruited by the likes of LSU, Clemson, and Arizona State. On Tuesday he drove up to South Bend along with his coach to work out for Notre Dame coaches. As you know the drive from Tampa to upstate Indiana isn't very close and this is a great sign that if his workout/tryout goes well that Notre Dame will be picking up the commitment from Ely.

Dayne Crist has three years of eligibility left and will most certainly be the starter in 2010 and 2011. The 5 star QB from California has the tools to be a high draft pick after 2011 and in all likelihood won't come back in 2012 unless he can get into grad school (you can only get a 5th year of eligibility at ND if you qualify for graduate school). The program has 3 freshman this season in Andrew Hendrix, Luke Massa and Tommy Rees who will all compete with Ely to be Crist's replacement if in fact Ely does decide on Notre Dame. Ely looks like a great fit for Brian Kelly's spread offense and has the athleticism to thrive. He also is a proven winner by leading Plant HS to the 5-A State Championships last season, no easy feat in the talent-rich state of Florida.

In conclusion: I want Ely.

Go Irish!

REASON TO ROOT FOR PARAGUAY IN THE WORLD CUP: LARISSA RIQUELME

Lingerie model Larissa Riquelme is a huge fan of her native Paraguay and has gone on record stating she will strip down naked and run through the streets of my dreams if they win the World Cup. Take a wild guess who just became Paraguay's #1 fan. Yep, this guy. The 24 year old model has been photographed numerous times cheering on Paraguay with her cell phone nestling oh so gently between her enormous personality. That Yankees fan could learn something from her.

Here are some more photos of Larissa displaying her "passion" for Paraguay...

MICHAEL VICK IN TROUBLE AGAIN?

Just when you think Michael Vick might have turned the corner and actually tried to be a decent human being by surrounding himself with good people with the best intentions for him comes this story about a "Birthday Party shooting" from last week. I don't know about you but I have never equated birthday party with gun shot victim but hey, that's just me. I didn't post anything last week about the incident because Vick's lawyer claimed his client left way before the shooting ever happened with the victim of the shooting being none other than Quanis Phillips, a co-defendant in the dogfighting case. It seemed fishy and now it gets even more interesting...

An unidentified eyewitness told the newspaper that shooting victim Quanis Phillips, a co-defendant in the Vick dogfighting case, tapped or slapped on the hand of Vick’s fiancee, Kijafa Frink, as she fed Vick cake. He said little cake touched Vick’s face, but words were exchanged.

So basically Quanis got shot because he might have disrespected Vick's fiance. Not only was Vick dumb enough to throw a birthday party near his hometown of Virginia Beach but he also managed to bring along his thug buddies just in case someone "disrespected" him. Vick is so fucking dumb I wouldn't be shocked one bit to hear he actually pulled the trigger. I'm starting to think he has just taken one too many hits to the head or is mentally challenged. Seriously.

Just think about it for a second. If you have to worry about being shot at during a birthday party then you are either hanging out in the wrong neighborhood and/or with the wrong people. Vick has yet to realize anything. He has money but is too dimwitted to surround himself with people who don't break the law. The guy is a convicted felon. To each their own?

STORY HT: The Big Lead

YANKEES FAN + CELL PHONE + BASEBALL TO THE FACE = HAPPY TIME

BarStoolSports has this video footage of some jackass Yankees fan yapping away on his cell phone instead of actually paying attention to the baseball game. This kind of shit happens in every ball park but what doesn't happen is a straight kisser to the face with a camera right on you for everybody to mock and laugh. I can only imagine how the conversation on the phone went: "Yeah, I got these fucking awesome tickets, I can see Jetah's ass. It's so fucking perfect I can smell it. It smells like 27 Championships! SMACK! I gotta go."

Go Bravos!

Gotta give Matty Ice all the credit in the world, he called it on Facebook yesterday, Braves score 4 off of Strasburg. The kid is good, he's very very good, but as the Bravos proved last night, he's not Jesus, he is hittable, and he can lose. After 4 starts in the pros, the Strasburg for All Star team has got to stop. Like I said in a previous post, let the kid prove his worth. Uber talent is just that, uber talent. Granted, all 4 of his starts have been impressive, but you had to love how the Braves made him work, made him sweat, and proved that this season isn't a fluke. It's an absolute shame that despite Hudson throwing yet another gem, his performance is overshadowed by the disbelief that Strasburg actually looked... wait for it... wait for it... HUMAN! While South Park has nothing to do with the Braves or Tim Hudson, I couldn't resist... GO TIMMY! and GO BRAVOS!!!

UGA... Number 64?!?!?! Seriously WTF?!?!?

Ok, I admit, I'm biased. I believe UGA will run the table every year... Not really, but as UGA grad, I'm just throwing it out there. Even as a biased UGA grad who may literally bleed Red and Black year after year, who in their right mind could possibly even fathom ranking UGA, a perennial top 25 team, #64 out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams?!?!?! Seriously... whatever the guy from the Orlando Sentinel is smoking should be handed out on every street corner. Somehow I suspect that whatever he's on, it is Orange and Blue and GAY-tor flavored. Check out Jeremy Fowler's article from the Orlando Sentinel here College Football 2010 Countdown: No. 64 Georgia. Try and figure out what he's smoking then pass some to the left please...

I HOPE THIS HAPPENS TO STEPHEN STRASBURG AT THE TED TONIGHT

Yep. I want to see the kid fall flat on his face. You know why? Because I root for the Atlanta Braves. Not the Washington Nationals. I'm not going to make it to The Ted tonight but I've already asked some of my friends whom are Braves fans in attendance to please not cheer for Strasburg when he is introduced or whenever he strikes out a Braves hitter. Atlanta fans can be strange. They are almost too nice. They gave Cal Ripken Jr. a standing ovation when he hit a home run during his final season. I know because I was there wearing a Ripken jersey. I guess it's a respect thing with Ripken but I was taught not to cheer for the other team because you know...you want your team to win. I have this deep fear that "Braves fans" will stand up and cheer for the kid if he strikes out Prado to start off the game. Please don't. Cheer for the Braves. Nobody else. If you are going to be fair weather you might as well be it for your home team.

Prediction: Braves 6 Nationals 2...Strasburg out after the 6th inning for his second loss of his career.

Video HT: Extra Mustard. By the way that chick took it like a champ. She didn't cry or pout like some Italian soccer player. She got up and dusted herself off and laughed. Bravo. Now go get em champ!

WHY HELLO THERE KELLY BROOK

These candid shots of actress Kelly Brook frolicking in Barbados come via WWTDD via SplashNewsOnline and I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for being you Kelly.

BJ UPTON SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TEAMMATE

The Tampa Bay Rays have been playing like garbage for the past 16 games and have seen their once MLB best record slide and now sit in 3rd place in the ultra competitive AL East (minus the horrific Baltimore Orioles). BJ Upton pulled the Hanley Ramirez card yesterday on a ball hit into the gap by jogging lightly to get to the ball. The hit resulted into a triple and of course the Rays went on to lose the game.

Teammate Evan Longoria did what everybody else on the team was thinking but didn't have the balls to say to Upton. He questioned his lack of effort. BJ blew up on him because he is a shitty teammate. I know I have said this before but baseball is a lazy man sport. It's not like football, basketball or hockey where you are constantly on the move and must pay attention at all times or you could seriously fuck up a game or even yourself by injury. All that the coaches and his teammates want to know is that BJ puts in the maximum effort and shows that he cares more about winning than the number of zeros on his paycheck.

Coach Bill Maddon has dealt with these issues before with Upton. It got so bad at one point that Maddon wanted to send him down to the minors but management refused. Yesterday pointed out that they need to do the right thing and send him down and call up Desmond Jennings. The Rays are too good of a team to be playing as badly as they are right now. They don't need a sour apple in BJ who could care less about winning and helping his teammates.

Or they could just fire Maddon in a couple of weeks like the Marlins did. I would donate my left nut to have Maddon is Baltimore just like I can't wait for Fredi Gonzalez to be coaching in Atlanta next season. I find it amusing they kept BJ in the game. It's not like the guy is a superstar. His talent is incredible but he doesn't have the mentality right now to be a starter in the majors much less a talented team like the Rays.

Get rid of him Tampa Bay. Don't let the Yankees or Red Sox run away with the division. Make a statement that you won't to compete and do it the right way.

Fedor Emelianenko Takes On Fabricio Werdum in a Joint Strikeforce/M1 Spectacular

As you may know I have little knowledge of Ultimate Fighting/MMA. I'm more of a boxing type of guy. But one of our readers thought she could chime in on this weekend's big event. I told her to bring it on. Here is guest writer Alexia Krause thoughts...

The Strikeforce event on June 26th is bound to be one for the books as Strikeforce mixed martial arts joins up with M-1 Global to bring some of the toughest fighters in the world together within one caged ring. This is an extra special event because it combines Strikeforce MMA with M-1 Global, which allows it to be a complete world showcase of some of the world's best fighters. This showcase has a huge title card as Fedor Emelianenko (who is actually a co-owner of M-1 Global) takes on Fabricio Werdum in a heavyweight bout that promises to entertain.

Fedor Emelianenko- also known as "The Last Emperor"- holds a record of 31-1. His only recorded loss comes from the fact that his fight with Tsuyoshi Kohsaka was stopped when Emelianenko suffered a gash in the opening seconds of the fight. Even though he has a loss to tarnish his undefeated streak, "The Last Emperor" understands that numbers don't mean anything when you're inside the cage.

"Fedor" has been at the top as the best heavyweight in the world for the better part of the last decade. He has taken down Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović, Mark Coleman, and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on his way there. On June 26th, he goes up against Fabricio Werdum (the number 9 heavyweight in the world) for a showdown that's bound to define the two fighters and the event.

Even though Emelianenko is the top heavyweight in the world he will have a lot on his hands going up against the jiu-jitsu technician, Fabricio Werdum. Werdum is known as "Vai Cavalo" or "Leading Horse" which speaks to his wild and free nature in the ring. It looks like it will be Emelianenko's job to tame Werdum if he wants victory.

However, the June 26th Strikeforce will not just be the main event. In fact, many more people are looking forward to the top woman in the world, Cris "Cyborg" Santos taking on Jan Finney. Most feel that Cyborg will take out Finney pretty easily and glide on to an effortless victory (even more so considering that Finney's nickname is "Cuddles"), but Finney has been known to be scrappy making the fight a good one to watch.

Plus, seeing Cris Cyborg in action is always an event in itself:



With both the male and female champions defending their titles on the same night, the June 26th Strikeforce event is destined to be an exciting evening for MMA fans.

Alexia is a lifelong fan of sports and fitness. Recently, she's been obsessed with MMA. As a result, she has joined forces with MMA Industries- purveyors of widely popular MMA training gloves and shirts. Alexia has been writing about the latest developments in MMA equipment for the past few years, and continues to bring you the latest news in the mixed martial arts world.

ANOTHER CLASSIC SOCCER VIDEO

Yes. Keep on jumping. Let your body rock. Everybody. Keep on. Keep on.

Holy shit that stupid song is going to be in my head all weekend. Landon Donovan might have a hat trick tomorrow but it won't matter. All I will be thinking about is this stupid song. But honestly who cares about the song. It's models playing fake soccer and grabbing ass and shit. That's about as American as you can get. Today is all about looking at girls in skimpy outfits playing mooseknuckle games. Tomorrow we beat the shit out of Ghana and all of those FIFA refs who keep screwing us over.

I just checked the odds and the American team is 33/1 to win the whole thing. Not bad considering Spain is 5/1 and might not even make the round of 16. Keep giving us no respect odds makers. The Americans eat that shit up.

Prediction: USA 2 Ghana 1 (Penalty kicks)

USA! USA! USA!

I don't care who you are. If this video doesn't get your blood pumping or the goosebumps going then you are sad, angry person.

Tomorrow the USA Soccer team has a chance to make the elite eight of the world with a win over Ghana. In a sport where we are the clear underdogs because soccer is about the 4th or 5th most popular sport in our country whereas it's everything for most of the world, it shows how far our country has come in terms of developing a respectable team.

Show some national pride tomorrow. Root for the Yanks! Fuck Ghana! Go USA! USA! USA!

ALEXANDER OVECHKIN WILL FINISH HIS SPEECH THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Alexander Ovechkin was accepting the NHL Players Choice for MVP Award last night when the NHL decided to pull a Grammy Awards and cut off their best player right in the middle of his speech. Ovie was obviously immune to the "cue the music to cut this cat off" part of the awards show and just stayed there and finished his speech. Badass. Too bad this was only shown in Canada live because if it was shown here I'm sure there would have been at least 8 puckheads watching on Versus.

With the Wizards now set to draft John Wall tonight and the Expos already have the great Stephen Strasburg who is now the most popular and marketable sports figure in the DC area? Personally Ovechkin is my favorite and I think he has the best personality by far but the NHL is in the dumps when it comes to marketing. Wall could be a huge star for the Wizards or he could become another Kenny Anderson. Strasburg looks like a complete stud but he only plays once every five games and he is a Mark Prior arm injury away from vanishing to could have been. What about Donovan McNabb? I know the new Redskins QB is rather old but what if he leads the Skins to the Super Bowl? Washington will always be a Redskin town and if they did run the table they would probably hand McNabb the keys to Obama's hidden bunker.

Anyways you be the judge. Who is the biggest sports star in Washington D.C? Vote on the upper right tool bar.

Video courtesy of D.C. Sports Bog

SALMA HAYEK STILL BRINGING IT

Mexican hottie Salma Hayek has been rocking the big screen since the mid 90's and yet she continues to get hotter. I don't get it. Did she and Demi Moore make a deal with the devil/Hollywood that they would continue to get better looking bodies while their looks matured? Whatever they did they have found the complete opposite luck of other starlets such as Lindsay Lohan and Tara Reid. I guess it's called "staying away from crack and booze" and a little thing called exercise. Whatever it is all I can say is Salma is still the bomb and at the premiere of her new film "Grown Ups" in New York City she brought out the big guns.

Good for her. Great for us.

I WISH I COULD BE A BLONDE SWEDISH NANNY

Elin: I got a secret...you are fucked!

Before Elin Nordegren met Tiger Woods she was a Swedish nanny along with her twin sister for professional golfer Jesper Parnevik. Her duties included changing diapers, looking hot, and taking the kids to the pool along with feeding them and traveling around the world. She had a tough life I know. Then Parnevik hooked up fellow golfer Tiger Woods, you may have heard of him, with a date with the blonde bombshell. Then they fell in love and got married and had kids and everything seemed wonderful. Until Tiger's hundreds of mistresses started coming out of the closet. The marriage quickly fizzled and now divorce is all but certain. Elin was humiliated and claimed to have no idea her husband was an athlete who liked to fuck other broads on the road and in this case even in their house. She had her head so far buried in the sand she could have struck oil.

And in the long run guess what this got her? $750 million dollars!

RadarOnline has the exclusive details...

The final divorce is imminent, a source close to the situation told RadarOnline.com.

“They’ve agreed on all the major points,” one source told us. “It’s all been worked out privately.

“Both Tiger and Elin are very close to finishing the negotiations and filing and signing the paperwork.”

Elin is expected to receive approximately $750 million in the settlement.

So in terms of dollars that is $375 million per kid. If he did in fact screw 120 women as some people have claimed while married that would equate to $6.25 million per mistress. And here I am worrying about spending too much money on a sirloin steak. Tiger is about to write a check for more money than most countries GDP. FML.

Congratulations Elin! You hit the jackpot! Please come change my diaper.

Here are some more pictures of the most expensive nanny in the world...

A WNBA GAME BROKE OUT LAST NIGHT IN LA

Ok, not really, but jesus. Why doesn't this kind of shit happen at The Ted? This girl-on-girl action happened at the Dodgers-Angels clash in Anaheim in what appears to be the right centerfield stands. Those people out in California are just so damn liberal and free. If this kind of shit happened in the South or the Midwest I'm pretty positive a riot would have broken out. In Southern Cal it's just "ho hum, two chicks playing tonsil hockey, big deal!" Hopefully this becomes a widespread pandemic in the sports world. You feeling me SEC Poon country?

Video HT: Deadspin

THE MARLINS FIRED BOBBY COX'S REPLACEMENT

Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria pulled the plug today on the Fredi Gonzalez managerial stint and this couldn't have worked out any better for the Atlanta Braves. With the Braves looking to replace Cox in his farewell season Gonzalez is one of the 3 most talked about replacements (current assistant coaches Terry Pendleton and Eddie Perez being the others). Gonzalez would be a great fit for the Braves organization having already worked for Cox as a base coach. He also doesn't put up with lazy play as evidenced by his benching of star shortstop Hanley Ramirez earlier in the season.

With that being said what the fuck was Loria thinking? Yes the Marlins are sitting at 34-36 record wise and Gonzalez 3 year record is 276-279 since replacing the fired Joe Girardi (which worked out great for the Yankees) but the Marlins don't spend money on premium talent with the exception of Hanley. Loria expects the Marlins to compete for the World Series every year but doesn't want to spend the money to get there. "The J-Hey Kid" aka SI.com writer Jon Heyman hinted a couple of months ago that Gonzalez would be the ideal candidate to replace Bobby in Atlanta in 2011. Thank you Loria for giving the Braves a chance to bring him in this season for an internship.

Braves.com writer Mark Bowman caught up with Braves GM Frank Wren to get his reaction to the Gonzalez hiring and posted this on his Twitter feed.

Frank Wren says the Braves hold Fredi in high regard. But he added that he won't have any further comment until Bobby manages his final game

Yep. Gonzalez will now be manager for the Braves in 2011. It worked out for the Yankees with Girardi so let's hope history repeats itself.

USA! USA! USA! THANK YOU LANDON DONOVAN!

I'm not a soccernut but I can say without a doubt that was the most exciting, tense game I have ever watched. The U.S Team had tons of chances to score and even got one taken away by a horrific offsides call early in the game. They hit posts and crossbars and never gave up. The score could have easily been a touchdown to nothing but the luck just wasn't on the U.S. side till the 91st minute when Landon Donovan buried a rebound in the back of the net.

With the win the U.S. advances to the round of 16 and wins their first group since 1930. 80 fucking years folks. This is history we are watching. The English also advanced with a close 1-0 win over Slovenia so there is a chance we get to play the Brits again. Right now it's looking like we will probably face Germany in the next round. Bring it on!

Donovan is going to get crazy ass down there in South Africa tonight. I can already see it....

GOLDEN TATE DOES HIS BEST PAYNE STEWART IMPERSONATION

Golden Tate rocked out the paisley argyle sweater vest and the pink loafer pants yesterday for some charity golf event. It takes a brave man and/or a very funny guy to pull off the outfit and apparently Golden is both. You could definitely stick some donuts in those pants.

GOOD NEWS PEOPLE: KENNY POWERS IS BACK THIS SEPTEMBER!

That's right ya fuckfaces! Kenny Mother Fucking Powers is back this September. He's back to play real sports and he doesn't like ya! HBO will be bringing back "Eastbound and Down" in the fall and that thump you just heard was my rock hard hitting the desk in delight. Not only will college football be back in full swing but now you are going to tell me Kenny Powers aka my hero is back. God I can't wait to see the beautiful motion of one Kenny Powers back throwing heaters...

THE ART OF THE SOCCER DIVE

Anytime you can combine my favorite part of Saving Private Ryan (Barry Pepper's character was a complete pimp with the sniper) and those fancy soccer players taking dives you have a winner. The World Cup has been entertaining for the most part but like the Duke flop I can't stand it when the game gets taken over by bullshit acting. The ironic part is North Korea will probably use a firing squad on their team and their families after getting demolished 7-0 by Portugal. Kim Jong Il does not put up with Alex Baldwin, Hans Blix, or incompetent soccer players....






Video HT: HotClicks

PHILLIES FANS ARE GRACEFUL

I mean seriously, what is wrong with people who root for the Phillies? They obviously can't read signs or follow directions. This guy either had a little too much Yuengling or he is fucking retarded. Let's just go with him being a Phillies fan. There is no need to explain when it comes to Satan's offspring.

Video HT: Deadspin

KARMA POLICE

I hope everybody has a glorious weekend. I hope it's safe and fun and you can do what you enjoy most. Which is probably a lot of drinking and relaxing in the sun.

This week has been frustrating due to some issues I'm not at liberty to discuss. Once I get things settled then I'm looking forward to a little karma. Here are some lyrics from Radiohead that will be resonating in my brain this weekend...

Karma police, arrest this man
He talks in maths, buzzes like a fridge
He's like a detuned radio

Karma police, arrest this girl
She stares at me as if she owns the world
And we have crashed her party

This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
When you mess with me

Karma police, I've given all I can
It's not enough; I've given all I can
But we're still on the payroll

This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
This is what you'll get
When you mess with me

Phew, for a minute there
I lost myself
I lost myself

THANK YOU SAMMY WATKINS

For completely knocking the shit out of this kid. Wait for the end. Trust me it's worth the torture of listening to this jackass teenager trying to be cool.

Sammy Watkins is a future College Football free safety out of South Fort Myers High School in Florida. He is being recruited by every big time program in the South and after watching this video you can tell he has a real good nose for the football. He absolutely ruined that kid's life by laying him out. Every time that mop head turns direction he is going to have Watkin's elbow in the back of his mind. I'm actually shocked the kid got up. I probably would have sucked my thumb while pissing on myself.

Video HT: BarStoolSports via SportsByBrooks

THIS WEEK IN UNNECESSARY CENSORSHIP

I forgot to mention the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Title last night. If you were wondering why I forgot to mention such a huge accomplishment for the Lakers organization it was because the game was so completely boring and both teams absolutely stunk it up. Kobe Bryant was god awful but still won the MVP because everybody else besides Ron Artest had shit performances shooting the ball. I know there are a lot of Kobe fans out there and they want to put him on a pedestal now with MJ but please stop. Kobe is a great player but he still isn't close to what Jordan was and he never will be. No means no Kobe fans.

Congrats on winning your 16th Championship. It must be tough to root for a team who wins all the time. I completely know how you feel.

Fuckers.

ANOTHER STUPID TIE

Let me start off by first saying that was the most exciting soccer game I have watched in a while. Slovenia is a country I had never even hear of before the World Cup started and today it looked like they were going to kick our ass by taking an early 2-0 lead. For some reason our lazy ass defenders decided they would rather be spectators after a 6 day layoff which was completely inexcusable. But the good ole U S of A fought back to tie thanks to a take your head off shot by Landon Donovan near the right post and then Michael Bradley with the beautiful follow in the 82nd minute. But then of course the refs had to ruin a great soccer game by calling one of the all-time bullshit calls by taking away a goal by Maurice Edu in the 86th minute by calling a US foul on the play. Nevermind that 3 of our players were literally being bear hugged during the play.

So instead of getting the win the refs took it away and gave us another fucking tie. These refs were absolutely horrible. They missed calls going both ways the whole game. Now the US will have another 5 days off before they play their next game against Algeria, one in which they will need to win if they want to advance. With the big break in between games why don't they play overtime or at least have penalty kicks? Enough with the stupid fucking ties. Nobody should ever play a sport to tie. As Herm Edwards said "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!" If they could cut out the tie garbage and also change the offsides crap (seriously there should be no offsides especially from a corner kick) then I think the game would be a lot more exciting and you know have an actual winner at the end.

But what do I know? I'm just another stupid American who doesn't get the "world" sport. Well you know what? America....America....America....FUCK YEAH!



Image courtesy of Getty Images

SCRATCH THE MOUNTAIN WEST TO BECOME A BCS CONFERENCE; UTAH BOLTING FOR THE PAC-10

Last week Boise State joined the Mountain West Conference and in my head I thought with the ten teams now in the conference they should get an automatic BCS bowl bid. Scratch that thought. The Utah Utes are expected to accept an invitation to become the 12th team in the new PAC-10 in what we now be a two division split.

With Utah expected to become the Pac-10's 12th team Thursday, the question arises: How will the conference split up its divisions?
Most likely, new additions Colorado and Utah will play in a southern division with Arizona, Arizona State, USC and UCLA.

This is of course is great news for the Utes. They have won two BCS bowl games to finish off two undefeated seasons and they could have a chance to compete right away for a PAC-10 title. With the USC sanctions look out for the Utes in 2012. They will earn a shitload more money and get a ton of exposure in a BCS Conference. Maybe even compete for a National Title.

This royally sucks for the Mountain West Conference. They will look to add another program but replacing Utah will be tough. They were well on their way to being a legit football conference but now you have to wonder if the Big 12 will now try to pry away TCU from them. Losing TCU and Utah would make the conference bad. I'm talking Big East bad.



Tune in tomorrow for the latest domino effect.


Photo courtesy of AP/Dave Martin

CLAY TRAVIS HAD ME AT TEXAS=COWARDS

Picture courtesy of Frumpzilla.com

As you probably know I wasn't too happy earlier this week when I found out the Texas Longhorns pulled the asshole card out and decided to stick with the Big 12 Conference. I say "asshole" because they managed to convince Nebraska to leave for the Big Ten and Colorado to leave for the Pac-10 and they were playing with Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M who were ready to bounce where ever the Longhorns landed. Instead they stayed in a shitty conference that plays no defense and now as long as they win their annual Red River Shootout game they have a good chance of going undefeated during their powder puff regular season. This gives them an excellent chance of making the BCS Title game almost annually. It sort of like USC in the Pac-10. The competition blows in those conferences unlike the SEC and without a playoff we get stuck watching two soft teams automatically play for a championship.

Anyways with that being said AOL's FanHouse Clay Travis (a Vandy alum) decided to lay the lumber on Texas by calling them "The Biggest Coward Program in College Football." I could sum it up in a few sentences but it won't do it justice. Travis hits the nail on the head...

Conference realignment died because the Texas football program is made up of cowards who are aware that the Longhorns program can't compete at the top levels of the SEC or the Pac-10. That's what your takeaway from the past two weeks of conference realignment really needs to be. Yep, the state that values masculine swagger more than any other in the nation features a top football program that is yella.

All hat, no cattle.

The Longhorns had offers to move on to compete with top echelon talent in the SEC and the Pac-10. Instead, like recalcitrant female cattle, they balked, choosing to remain in a weakened Big 12 that is minus two of the traditional powers in the league.

How bad is Texas' schedule now even with a round-robin nine-game slate to come in 2012? It's likely the Longhorns will have one top 25 conference game a season, the annual Texas-Oklahoma tussle in October. Meaning Texas will try and back door its way into the BCS title game each season by avoiding challenges rather than competing with the best in college football.

If Sam Houston had known the cowardice of the Longhorns in 2010, he would have forgotten the Alamo.

What's more, while Texas is a coward in the larger universe of college football, the Longhorns are a bully in their own conference, the equivalent of a mob boss extracting loyalty payments from the five weakest members. Why did Texas (along with Oklahoma and Texas A&M) take a larger share of contractual payouts owed by Colorado and Nebraska for leaving the conference?

Because it could.

But that's how bullies always behave, right?



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They beat up on the weak and then get their asses kicked or turn tail when someone steps to them. Ask Colt McCoy and Texas about that. The Longhorns quarterback threw for 4 billion yards in his career against the sisters of the poor defenses in the Big 12. He lasted for less than a full quarter against an SEC defense. Yep, the SEC and the Pac-10 would have been the barbed wire to Texas' BCS title dreams.

And that's what the Longhorns feared more than anything. Once it joined the SEC or the Pac 10, Texas is just another program, packing a six-shooter with no bullets. Waving that gun around in the air and yelling ain't scaring away Marcell Dareus on the blitz. He's calling your bluff and slapping you with your own empty gun. People might start to realize that for all the swagger, the Longhorns have just one national title in the past 39 years, nearly two generations of failing to capture the ultimate prize. They might also realize that most years, Texas can't even get past Oklahoma, the overrated team you've last seen being stomped by whatever opponent the Sooners draw in the BCS games, title or otherwise.

That's because when it comes to Texas football, the perception of success is much greater than the reality of success. Hell, give Texas credit though, at least it's the best of a bad lot. What can you say for Oklahoma or Texas A&M? Two ostensible rival schools that had the opportunity to prove they could stand on their own in the new world order of college athletics and instead hid behind Texas' skirt. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare wrote during his famous balcony scene, "It is the East and Juliet is the sun!" If the bard dove into the mess that is the Big 12, he could adopt the same phraseology, "It is the Big 12 and Texas is the sun!"

Because never in the history of college athletics has one program so dominated the puny conference sisters it surrounds itself with. Texas is not just the sun, but the moon and the stars, while the rest of the teams in the conference are its piddling orbiting satellites. It's only a matter of time, one would think, before the Longhorns demand the gate for games they play on the other school's campus.

That's what mob bosses do, they take and take and take until someone kills them.

You think anyone in the Big 12 has the stones to step to Texas?

Hell no.

And if you've cast your conference lot with a program that doubles as the sun, moon and stars, it might be worth asking how you ever compete with that school. Do you think Texas is ever losing a recruit to a program that voluntarily turned over its millions so you could continue to be extorted in the future? Does the mob boss have a smaller house than the poor schmuck he takes down for more money? Those are rhetorical questions. And there's your answer right there, every other school in the conference has no desire to be number one. They're just comfortable basking in the penumbra of Texas' exaggerated greatness.

Of course, the ultimate irony of this entire mess is that the joke is on all college football fans. All of us, the poor sots who tramp to our respective campuses each week in an effort to determine the best team in the nation. Because we've actually created a BCS system that encourages bullying cowardice like Texas'. Instead of forcing the best to compete and crowning a champion on the field by rewarding the two best teams, we've created a system where avoiding challenges and beating up on weaker programs gives you an automatic invite to the BCS title game.

How else to explain Texas and Oklahoma appearing in six BCS title games between them and racking up a bully-like 2-4 record with an average margin of defeat of more than 18 points in those games? Texas isn't just a coward, it is gaming the system, rigging the results to allow them a position it can't earn on the field.

In the end we're left with only one conclusion: Deep in the heart of Texas lives a football program of cowards.

Time for a new burnt orange slogan:

Hook 'em ... unless you can run and hide from 'em.

I've always had a respect for the Texas Longhorns program so don't think I'm picking on them. I also think Notre Dame has played the coward card by not joining a conference and scheduling games with Tulsa, Western Michigan, and the usual run with the Military schools. They schedule these games because they know if they can just manage to win 9-10 games that their name is so big that they will almost automatically get into a BCS bowl game whether it is deserved or not. And I will go on record to say the only BCS game Notre Dame ever deserved to make was the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. The others were complete bullshit.

For the overall good of college football we need programs to challenge themselves and forget about the "tradition" of the bowl system and work together to form mega conferences that going forward can get us a playoff system. I know a lot of people who love the system the way it is now and don't want to change a thing. Honestly I don't understand these people. I understand that programs like Texas and Notre Dame are more concerned about getting their money for their programs and not sharing it but they have to realize that for the greater good of the sport itself they could make seismic changes by pushing forward a playoff system instead of only worrying about the number of zeros in their television and licensing contracts.

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

This video still cracks me up. This guy honestly might be my hero. "It's time" should go down in YouTube history. If I were Derek Dooley at Tennessee I would make BigVolDaddy the official mascot. Screw Smokey. BigVolDaddy would piss all over the competition.

CHIPPER JONES NEARING RETIREMENT?

AJC.COM's Carroll Rogers has the breaking news of a possible Chipper Jones retirement announcement effective at the end of the 2010 season. Say it ain't so Chip!

First I was told Chipper was going to meet with Frank Wren and Bobby Cox today to discuss his future and then talk to the media afterward, in all likelihood to say he’s leaning toward retiring at the end of the season.

Just a few minutes ago, after all this kicked up today, I was told Chipper thinks the retirement speculation is premature and doesn’t plan to talk to the media about it today.

Obviously Chipper has been struggling this year and has seen his power numbers (3 Home runs) dip while his age has soared (38 years old). Chipper is an iconic figure in Atlanta Braves history and as far as I can remember is the only Brave to spend his whole career putting on the spikes solely in Atlanta. It would suck to see Chipper go out this way since in my mind he is a first ballot Hall of Famer (his numbers at 3B put him up there with Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson, and George Brett for all-time greats) and he deserves the proper send off much like Bobby Cox is getting this season and the way Cal Ripken Jr. got during his final season.

Larry will be hard to replace. Braves fan and the local media are quick to point out that they can simply resign Troy Glaus (who should be starting in the All-Star Game) and shift him to third and then bring up young Freddie Freeman from Gwinnett. That would be smart if Troy wasn't coming off his age 33 season in which a typical baseball player (minus the performance enhancers) starts to decline dramatically in terms of production and health. Also Freeman has been struggling mightily at AAA with an OPS of .746, an on base percentage that is Frenchy-like and only 5 home runs in 200 plate appearances. He isn't viewed as the can't miss prospect anymore but then again he is only 20 years old and could right the ship with a couple of hot weeks in Gwinnett.

Omar Infante has done an admirable job this season filling in for both Yunel Escobar (maybe he should think about retiring considering his struggles) and Chipper but isn't seen as long term solution as a starter. Infante is great as a sub but I have my doubts he could start every day and thrive like Martin Prado. So in conclusion Braves fans should be worried about Chipper retiring not only because he will be missed as a teammate but his production will be hard to replace.

GM Frank Wren could look to go the free agent route with Jorge Cantu, Ty Wigginton, and Bradon Inge all unrestricted free agents in 2011 but none of those guys bring back the fond memories of Chipper in a Braves uniform. Hopefully Chipper will feel a rejuvenation as the season progresses and his bat comes around much like Glaus did in May. I don't want to see Chipper go out this way. He deserves the proper send off but I'm also sure Chipper's pride won't let him be a distraction and it wouldn't shock me to see him hang up the cleats abruptly like Ken Griffey Jr.

Either way Chipper will be missed in Atlanta. You can't replace a legend.

DAMN YOU TEXAS

It looked like Texas was all ready to jump ship to either the SEC, PAC-10, or Big Ten and help form some super conferences and then they had to get all uppity and wanted to get some ass and start driving a Range Rover.


Orangebloods.com is reporting that Texas will now stay put in the Big 12 which will now become a ten team conference. Boring. Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe has come up with some lucrative television deal with the conference that would pay Texas $20-25 million per season in revenue. Of course now it looks like the other teams (Oklahoma, Okie State, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M) who were all willing to jump ship on this shit hole of a conference are now going to stay put all because Texas is getting paid big time.

Damn you Texass. Now the Longhorns won't have to worry about playing Nebraska or Colorado and losing to them and instead will be playing in a conference with only one heavyweight (Oklahoma) who have too much vaginal secretion to go join another conference without Texas permission.

It was all working out so well. A&M was going to go to the SEC and the other 4 schools were going to go to the PAC-10 to join Colorado in a super conference. And then Notre Dame was going to the Big Ten and the SEC was going to steal a few ACC schools and then we would be on our way to an eventual playoff system. But no. Same old crappy bowl system and "BC$" to look forward to for the next 10 years. It's all about the money and not crowning a true national champion as always.

College football is the definition of insanity. Look it up. Here ya go.


Texas=cocktease

VINCE YOUNG SEEMS LIKE A NICE GUY...

but don't go flashing any upside down "Hook Em Horns" signs while he is at the strip club.



Titans look like they have made a wise investment with Vince Young. The guy has clearly matured since he left Austin and his leadership skills are outstanding when it comes to defending the Horns. If you are Jeff Fisher what do you say to Young? Aren't quarterbacks suppose to be the cool ones when under fire? I don't ever remember Joe Montana or John Elway throwing punches when someone made fun of Lou Holtz or the homeless guy dressed as the Stanford mascot.

If Young was not an athlete or famous he would be behind bars right now. Him and Rapelisberger should start hanging out. And by "hanging out" I mean they should spoon with each other.

Video HT: SportsByBrooks

KATY PERRY IS ALL ABOUT THE WORLD CUP

WWTDD.com has the pictures of Katy Perry wearing a rubber dress split into one half American flag and one half Great Britian. What the fuck is she trying to do? Create a war I would guess. Katy darling, you are a stinkin American. I don't give a shit if you are dating some heroin junkie from England. We claimed you as soon as your enormous b...personality hit the airwaves. Don't make us hate you. Don't turn into Madonna with some fake Brit accent. The States claim you as a national treasure. Two enormous treasures.

Anywho the US tied England 1-1 in a thrilling match or so I have heard. I had a baseball game that day and missed it. Supposedly the England goalkeeper fucked up and supposedly the games still sound like they are being played in a Bees nest. I haven't had a chance to watch much of the action but "Captain America" has told me the games will get better the next round. USA doesn't play till Friday against Slovenia and why am I telling you this? No clue.

Doesn't matter because Germany is going to win. Their beer and steaks are clearly better than anything Brazil or Argentina can muster up.

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TIGER WOODS NEW JUPITER ISLAND COMPOUND

Jose Lambiet has the pictures of Tiger Woods new compound that is being finished. Tony Montana would be burying cockaroaches for the rights to live in a place this big. Tiger is going to get so much ass in there. I'm talking crazy boy band ass...

Starting platforms have yet to be installed on the two-lane 100-foot or so lap pool, while the diving platform already towers over the diving pool to the north. As for the compound, the nearly 10,000-square-foot house is on the right (south). Woods’ 9,500-square-foot gym, complete with a brand spanking new oxygen therapy room, is across from what’s expected to be a reflecting pool.

So if you are like me and your neighborhood doesn't have a pool and you most certainly can't afford one yourself so you go sneak into Apartment pools (pool code is usually 243) then you can just think of poor old Tiger slumming it this weekend with about 10 girls begging for his juice. Poor guy. I feel for him.


Orginally found at TheBigLead

OKLAHOMA SOONERS TO THE PAC-10?

This report hasn't been confirmed by any of the major news outlets but NewOk has a source who knows somebody who might know somebody else who says that Oklahoma is going to the PAC-10. Sounds legit to me.

The University of Oklahoma is headed for the Pacific-10 Conference but will wait until Texas declares its intentions, an OU source told The Oklahoman Friday after Nebraska announced it will leave the Big 12 for the Big Ten.

The University of Texas board of regents have scheduled a Tuesday meeting for "discussion and appropriate action regarding athletic conference membership."

Late Thursday night, OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said he was working to keep the Big 12 (now down to 10 schools) together.

But another Big 12 athletic director told The Oklahoman such a mission "seems like a longshot."

The conference remains viable for the schools with the Pac-10 option — Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Texas A&M — only if Texas decides to stay. Castiglione's mission to keep the conference together hinges on convincing Dodds

It's starting to look like Texas just doesn't give a fuck anymore about traditional rivalries or what not. They can have their pick of the SEC, Big Ten, or the PAC-10. It seems to me they are posturing to see which conference can offer the best deal. On the other end Oklahoma is the ex-girlfriend who keeps calling and is stalking Texas until they make a final decision. Texas doesn't love you anymore Sooners. They probably figure they can still do the late night drunk dial and hook up with you every once in a while (The Red River Shootout) without being affiliated with your skanky ass.

It's time to move on Oklahoma. You don't need Texas. No need to be treated like second class when you could be banging the whole PAC-10.

ANOTHER DOMINO FALLS: BOISE STATE TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

June 10th and the 11th of the year 2010 are going to go down as the days the college football landscape was shaken to it's core. First Nebraska started by leaving the Big 12 to join the Big Ten. Then Colorado left the Big 12 to join the PAC-10. And today ESPN has reported Boise State has left the WAC to join the Mountain West Conference which is quickly becoming more powerful then the Big East and the ACC in terms of football programs.

The Boise State Broncos now join TCU, Utah, Brigham Young, Air Force, Wyoming, UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico and Colorado State in the Mountain West Conference who could look to join the BCS discussion for conference affiliation. The Broncos are BCS busters twice as well as Utah and even TCU made a BCS Bowl game last year. This conference to me looks more top heavy than both the Big East and ACC and soon to be obsolete Big 12 conferences.

The Broncos have gone 49-4 under coach Chris Petersen and essentially earned the right to move up and make more money in a better conference. The WAC Conference hasn't sued anybody and handled it like a human being. A lesson could be learned by this.

Personally I had hoped the PAC-10 would find a way to include Boise State but I think this is a great move for the Broncos and the Mountain West Conference. They should look to expand to 12 more teams and add Kansas and Kansas State if they are in fact going to be left out after the Big 12 implodes. Kansas has been solid in football and even made a BCS appearance. We all know about the basketball program which is one of the founding fathers of the college sport. And the Wildcats are a top 10 program in basketball and their football program was solid when Bill Snyder was roaming the sidelines.

So now the question is what, when, and where is the next domino to fall for conference realignment. Will Texas go to the Big Ten or the Pac-10? Will Oklahoma go to the Pac-10 or the SEC? Will Notre Dame finally accept an open invitation to the Big Ten? All of these questions and many more should be answered within the next couple of months if not days.

God I can't wait till college football starts.

WHINE FOREVER

Pete the Cheat just doesn't get it. The NCAA found out one of your coaches (Todd McNair) knowingly tried to hide the fact that Reggie Bush was receiving improper gifts and money. If McNair knew then there is a pretty good chance you knew what was going on. This isn't hear no, speak no, see no violations here Pete. You guys cheated. Accept it and try to move on instead of denying. Don't pull the Pete Rose defense.


But then again it looks like Pete Carroll was taught to look the other way from AD Mike Garrett. Check out the balls on this fucking guy:

“As I read the decision by the NCAA, all I could get out of all of this was … I read between the lines and there was nothing but a lot of envy, and they wish they all were Trojans,” Garrett said to cheers Thursday night at the San Francisco Airport Marriott.

If you want to look up the definition of "lack of institutional control" then I think we need to put a reference picture of Mike Garrett. This guy might be one of the biggest morons to walk the planet. It's like Lindsay Lohan's alcohol craved soul drifted into him.

“Regardless of what happens in that appeal, we know this: SC is more powerful than anything else,” Kiffin said. “The university, the football program, the basketball program -- no matter what they try to do to us, it won’t matter.”

The lack of humility if just astonishing. At first I thought the NCAA coming down and hammering USC with these sanctions yesterday would help clean up their program. But now I have no doubt they will continue to be renegades. They don't want to even confess that Reggie Bush fucked up. The guy was a hell of a player but the way he walked around and took every single handout for him and his family and yet their compliance department and coaches are going to stick to their guns and say they knew nothing about it just makes me wish they got the SMU treatment.

In short: FUSC.

THE NON-SOCCER FAN’S GUIDE TO ENJOYING THE WORLD CUP

As a rabid soccer fan for most of my life (I haven’t missed a game since 1994, the first year the tournament was widely broadcast in the US), you might think that I am the last person to know how an average American sports fan might get interested in a “foreign” sport like soccer. But the fact is that over the years I have had a chance to convert many people from non-participators to rabid fans, and there is no better opportunity to do that than The World Cup.

I understand entirely that soccer can be difficult and even boring to watch at times, especially if you don’t know what the hell is going on. Trust me that I have seen games played at the top level that are just plain painful to watch, full of diving, crying, and cheap shots, and all of them have involved Cristiano Ronaldo. But apart from hotly contested league matches in England or Italy, The World Cup is generally the most exciting soccer you can see, especially in the early rounds when teams are trying to assert themselves and get into the knockout stages.

But let’s not concern ourselves with any of that. I am here to talk to the guys that hate the game. I’m not here to tell you why it’s great, to learn the rules, to study the history and to suddenly become some kind of multi-culti pansy that people like me are repelled by. Not at all. Instead, I want you to have a reason to join the party, despite the fact that you think soccer is for Euro-trash and illegals. So here we go:



A) It’s a chance to be fiercely patriotic:

The US is progressing. We have a passable and improving professional league with an increasingly talented pool of players. Most of our guys have proven themselves in Europe’s best leagues. But we’re still pretty weak in the eyes of the world, and the World Cup is a chance for us to stick it to some elitist, pompous asses who don’t give us a chance. We are a country that is used to winning everything it really wants to, and soccer is the last place in the world where America isn’t feared. Well, if that doesn’t get you fired up, you’re not my audience.

The last time the US faced England in The World Cup we won, 1-0. It happened in 1950, and nobody here cared, but the English hate to be reminded of it. Even if they beat us on Saturday by twenty goals, their record against us in major competitions will only be 1-1. Don’t let them forget that.

I love England, and will pull for them in every game but ours. They have been our best friend since we booted them, their taxation, their syphillis and their in-bred king off of our shores, but for 90 minutes on Saturday they are the enemy, and that’s some fun stuff. All the rest of the countries involved? Well, I’m sure I can come up with a reason to hate each of them with a passion for 90 minutes, and so can you. If you treat each match-up with that same blind xenophobia, you will have something invested in all 64 matches.

So get out there and root for The Yanks if for no other reason but to rub it in somebody’s face that doesn’t look like you. And when we eventually get eliminated (and we will), I’m sure one of your ancestors escaped from one of the remaining countries a hundred plus years ago. Adopt that hell-hole for the rest of the month and support them with a passion. This might be your best chance ever to score with a foreign girl. Trust me, they’re usually drunk.

B, C, and D) If you need any other reasons, you can go to Hell


There you go! Enjoy The World Cup!

Hopefully I’ll get asked back as we go to blog about whatever is interesting to me during the Cup. I also hope this offended some people. Please let me know in the comments section.

Signed,

Captain America*

*=in no way related to or in violation of Marvel Comics and their creations

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PHILLIES FANS?

THE FIGHTINS have yet another despicable picture of a Phillies fan gone wild. I thought those people up there only drank Natty Light and Yuengling? Coors Light? Are you fucking kidding me kid? This kid should have got tasered for bad taste. Cold activated bottle my ass! This kid would probably throw batteries at me if he knew I was making fun of him.

NOT SO FAST MY FRIENDS! IT'S NOW A LOSS OF 3O SCHOLARSHIPS FOR USC

Reggie Bush and USC assistant coach Todd McNair royally screwed over the future of the USC Football program. Check out this excerpt from the NCAA report:

``At least by January 8, 2006, the assistant football coach had knowledge that student-athlete 1 and agency partners A and B likely were engaged in NCAA violations. At 1:34 a.m. he had a telephone conversation for two minutes and 23 seconds with agency partner A during which agency partner A attempted to get the assistant football coach to convince student-athlete 1 either to adhere to the agency agreement or reimburse agency partners A and B for money provided to student-athlete 1 and his family. Further, during his September 19, 2006, and February 15, 2008, interviews with the enforcement staff, the assistant football coach violated NCAA ethical conduct legislation by providing false and misleading information regarding his knowledge of this telephone call and the NCAA violations associated with it. The assistant football coach failed to alert the institution's compliance staff of this information and later attested falsely, through his signature on a certifying statement, that he had no knowledge of NCAA violations.''

Now the official word is USC will lose 10 football scholarships per year for 3 years. A total of 30! This is absolutely devastating for any football program no matter how much depth you have on your roster. They are banned from postseason for 2 years and their wins from 2004 and 2005 have been vacated by the NCAA since Bush was ineligible. Now the Heisman Trophy Trust can look into taking away Bush's Heisman since essentially he wasn't an eligible player that season. Vince Young will now wrap his sweaty chest around the stiff arm statue. All of Bush's records will be erased from the USC books and it will be like he never played in 2004 and 2005.

The Bush Push of 2005 doesn't exist and now Notre Dame can claim victory. If they want they can be like Alabama and chalk up another National Title that they didn't earn.

It looks like Lane Kiffin's start in Los Angeles is off to a great start. He seems like a good, clean play by the NCAA rules coach to help clean up the program.


So what does the SportsCrack nation think about the sanctions? Fair? Not so much?

Dudes a Deuche...

Picture of TrueBall

That’s just my opinion but seriously, am I the only one over Ben Roethlisberger?

Granted the guy has won two Super Bowl rings for the Steelers, but how many girls do those rings allow him to (allegedly) molest? I mean really?!?!? I’ve watched him first hand pass around girls like they were another Coors Light… wait my bad, in Pittsburgh, the drink IC Light (Iron City Brewing Company for those of you not familiar, is cheaper, yet not as fulfilling version of Miller). I’m not denying the guy’s athletic ability, I’m just curious to know how someone who’s just a shade away from becoming the next OJ Simpson, off the field of course, keeps getting away with whatever heinous crimes he'd like.

I’d love to see Roethlisberger, Michael Vick, Marcus Vick, Terrell Owens, “Pacman” Jones, the entire Minnesota Vikings Team (I’m on a boat!), Milton Bradley, Carlos Zambrano, John Rocker, Lou Holtz (sorry Matt, but it’s way past his time to move out of the spotlight), Ron Artest, Gilbert Arenas, and Stephon Marbury compete on a new reality game show called “The Biggest Head Case”. I mean really, how much do athletes think they can get away with? They say money can’t buy happiness, but it should be able to buy an adviser who helps you make good decisions and a PR agent that helps smooth over the bad decisions that you make anyway. How are kids supposed to look at athletes as role models when the people who are in the public spotlight somehow think that it is okay to carry guns through airports, in locker rooms, rob kids outside of McDonald's, force themselves on young girls, or fight with their team mates on the field? Personally, I don’t want my kids to grow up as thugs and I’m tired of watching professional athletes make a mockery of the class of our parent’s generation.

Guys like Ken Griffey Jr. and Cal Ripken should be the norm, not the exception. In the era of steroids, cheating scandals, gloves that seemingly don’t fit (even though DNA evidence does exist), skipping court hearings at will, toting pot in “hidden water bottle compartments”, giving yourself fake names (Ron Mexico was hilarious though… haha… someone has the bumps… haha), cheating on your spouse and claiming you’re addicted to sex (seriously… who’s not?!?!?) and public figures literally getting away with "murder", I can honestly say I miss the days when we were worried that a pitcher may have a bit of petroleum jelly under the bill of his hat. Now I have to worry that the same “superstar” may be in a bar one day with the daughter that I don’t have yet and convince her that “it’s okay” and show he has a temper if she doesn’t consent to whatever he feels justified in doing.

Not that I wish harm on anyone, but I wouldn’t be sad if a certain someone rode his motorcycle into the Allegheny River, without a helmet, got frostbite, lost a few fingers, couldn’t play football again, and ended up on a couch like the rest of us talking about our “glory days”. Just in case "Big Ben" is reading and gets his feelings hurt, he can always send his bouncer to beat me up like he tried to do in Jack’s (check it out if you ever go to the Burgh by the way... cheap beer... good crowd) in Pittsburgh back in 08, but somehow I feel like he may be too busy riding his motorcycle without a helmet or scaring another girl into sleeping with him as he’s been accused of in the past.

Just in case you haven't seen the latest, check out this article from Katie Thomas and Richard Sandomir of the New York Times

The 20-year-old college student who said she was assaulted by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told an investigator that she and her friends thought his presence in their college town was “weird” and said she did not fight because she feared he had a short temper, according to interviews released Wednesday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

During a 10-minute video interview, the woman said she and her friends were initially excited when they learned that Roethlisberger was spending the evening of March 5 in Milledgeville, a town 80 miles southeast of Atlanta that is home to Georgia College & State University. Roethlisberger owns a vacation home nearby.

But upon reflection, she said on the video, which was posted on the Web site of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “That’s weird. You’re in a college town. He’s 28 years old.”

In addition to the interview with Roethlisberger’s accuser, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation released other audio and video recordings related to the case. In April, the local district attorney declined to prosecute Roethlisberger, citing a lack of evidence and the accuser’s desire that he not be charged. But he was suspended for up to six games by the N.F.L. for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy.

In Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger took part in a Steelers practice session Wednesday but did not talk with the news media, according to The Associated Press.

One of the woman’s friends, Nicole Biancofiore, said Wednesday that she was upset the agency released the videos, including one that featured an interview with Biancofiore, who was in the club that night.

“I think it’s ridiculous that the videos are released when there are no charges being pressed,” Biancofiore said in a text message to a reporter.

A call to a number listed as belonging to the accuser’s mother was not returned. She has not made any public statements about the case.

The videotaped interview with the woman was the second she had given to investigators: the first took place soon after the reported assault, when the woman acknowledged that she was drunk. The second interview was conducted the next day, and she appeared relatively calm as she answered questions. In the video, her face is blurred.

Asked about some details of the sexual encounter, the woman, who said she is 5 feet 4 inches, said she did not fight back. “I noticed throughout the night he kind of had a short temper,” she said. “I obviously didn’t want him to hurt me any more than he was going to.”

Like I said, dude's a deuche, but that's just my opinion...

RUH ROH: TEXAS A&M TO THE SEC?

Just when I thought everything was going to kind of make sense in this college football conference realignment Andy Staples of SI.com has the balls to throw this wrench....

A source confirmed to SI.com late Wednesday that emissaries from the SEC initiated discussions with Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne months ago, and while the SEC is just one of several potential options for the Aggies, it remains an option heading into Thursday's meeting between Texas A&M and Texas officials. At the meeting, power brokers from both schools will discuss a last-ditch effort to save the Big 12, even if Nebraska's Board of Regents votes Friday to leave for the Big Ten. "It's on life support," the source said of the Big 12. "But people have come off life support before."
Officials also will discuss a potential invitation from the Pac-10 that also would include four other Big 12 schools. Presumably, they also will discuss the SEC's talks with Texas A&M.


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_staples/06/10/aggies.options/index.html#ixzz0qTAe7ahO
Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription

SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has an ace up his sleeve or at least he thinks in A&M. But what the fuck dude? You could have got Texas! Why settle for pennies when you can get Franklins. SEC just needs to go balls to the wall and go get Notre Dame. Sure ND not close to the Southeastern region but neither is A&M. The revenue and rating with Notre Dame in the fold would be tremendous. Maybe Slive has pocket aces. Who knows?