Ohio State "gold pants" featured on Pawn Stars

Credit: History Channel by sportsxbrooks

SportsByBrooks.com managed to get some video of last night's Pawn Stars on the History Channel which featured a man selling Ohio State player issued "gold pants" to Rick Harrison. I started laughing uncontrollably last night when this came on. I mean what are the odds this shit hits right when Jim Tressel is already in deep shit for covering up the story that got him the 5 game suspension? I'm actually shocked those little gold pants which are basically jewelry are worth that much. $1000? Wow. I can't even sell game used jerseys for near that price tag.

Chris Brown is looking for a new punching bag, targeting ND hoops player Skylar Diggins

If you don't know who Chris Brown is then here is a little friendly reminder of what he did to his girlfriend Rihanna a couple of years ago. Seems like a great guy right? Well now that Brown has moved on from beating the living piss out of Rihanna he has turned his focus on another cute, young superstar in the making. Notre Dame point guard Skylar Diggins. Cue the Jaws soundtrack. Here is Brown's twitter to Skylar...

@chrisbrown
Chris Brown
Skylar Diggins ... She's a cutie @skydigg4 congrats beautiful

Run Skylar, run!!! Skylar will be going for a National Championship tonight in Indianapolis versus Texas A&M. Someone might want to get some extra security in case Chris Brown shows up. No seriously he beats the shit out of women.

247Sports.com releases their list of 5 Star Recruits

If you are a college football fanatic like myself you know that the game itself is not just played 3-4 months a year. Recruiting is year round and extremely important when it comes to your team's chances of reaching a BCS Bowl or going to the Shitter Bowl in December. JC Shurburtt has the extremely early list of 5 star recruits who will be seniors in high school next year that every program from coast-to-coast would die for to sign on the dotted line.

1. Arik Armstead, OT/DE, Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove

Scouting report: On the hoof there’s probably not a better looking lineman in the country. Armstead is every bit of 6-7 and at that size he can play either side of the football. Though he’s ranked as an offensive tackle, Armstead is projected to play defensive line at USC which shows his remarkable versatility, etc. etc. etc.

Recruiting buzz: Armstead has been committed to USC since his sophomore year and is firm in that commitment but does plan fall visits to Miami, Alabama and Auburn.

2. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Springfield, Mo.

Scouting Report:[ There isn’t an offensive skill player in the country as physically gifted as the 6-foot-6, 221-pound Green-Beckham. A big physical player that runs well, can get high in the air, and is dangerous as both a possession receiver and deep threat. He’s also a multi-sport athlete that’s a standout in track and field and basketball.

Recruiting Buzz:The Green-Beckham camp has kept his recruitment close to the vest. Many of the SEC schools figure to be in the hunt. Look for places like Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma to possibly be players as well

3. Eddie Goldman, DT, Washington, D.C./Friendship Collegiate

Scouting report: Goldman is a powerful defensive tackle with quick hands and excellent agility for a 300-plus pounder. He’s dominant at his current level of play, but his ceiling remains high as he is not a finished product by any stretch. Goldman has been on the radar since his sophomore year and there’s a reason why nearly 50 college programs have offered. 



Recruiting buzz: Goldman’s recruitment is wide-open. There is some Miami talk. He could visit North Carolina soon. The Heels signed defensive tackle Marvin Austin out of D.C. in the 2007 class.

4. Andrus Peat, OT, Tempe, Ariz./Corona Del Sol


Andrus Peat has the frame to be a big-time offensive tackle at the collegiate level and beyond.
Scouting report: At offensive tackle, size is a very important part of the equation and Peat has got an ideal body and frame to be a franchise left tackle. He is a lean 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds with long arms and he lacks bad weight. Between the whistles, Peat is so powerful through the hips. When he locks onto a defender, he isn’t content just getting a body on a body, he runs his feet, drives his hips and finishes his blocks with a defender’s mentality. As a pass blocker, Peat has a text book pass set, showing a flat back, great knee bend and the foot quickness to combat elite edge speed.

Recruiting buzz: Peat’s brother Todd Peat signed with Nebraska in the class of 2011 so the Huskers will be a factor but the younger Peat looks to be wide open at the moment with offers from around the country.

5. Shaq Thompson, ATH, Sacramento, Calif./Grant

Scouting report: At an athletic 6-1, Thompson has a great safety physique. He’s got length to give him a center fielder’s range and the strength to come up and play in the box. On the high school level, Thompson has demonstrated some terrific versatility as an elite high school running back. In fact, athletically, Thompson has the capability to play running back, receiver safety or cornerback on the next level. As a defensive back he is advanced in his ability to backpedal and turn-and-run and he has very strong ball skills. He also has speed, Thompson has been clocked at under 11 seconds in the 100 and under 22 seconds in the 200 in high school.

Recruiting buzz: A previous Cal commit, Thompson recently de-committed from Jeff Tedford’s program however most expect that he still ends up in Berkeley when all is said and done.

6. John Theus, OT, Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles

Scouting report: Theus has everything one looks for in an offensive tackle both physically and athletically. The 6-foot-6, 295-pound Theus has the height, weight distribution, natural strength and foot quickness to translate to the next level. Not only does he have a quick first step and quickness in his pass set, but he has body quickness and reactionary quickness to react to defenders in front of him or after re-directing an initial pass rush move. He is as adept of a run blocker as pass blocker with the ability to run his feet and work to the second level with fluid movement. His initial punch is powerful and he is a finisher in the run game.

Recruiting buzz: Theus is considered a heavy Georgia lean with Florida running second. His brother, Nathan Theus, signed with Georgia in February.

7. Keith Marshall, RB, Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook

Scouting report: Marshall is the most explosive back in the country. He runs wild through opposing defenses and has excellent balance, vision and feet. Give him a crease and he is gone. Marshall runs a legitimate 4.3-second 40-yard dash and is a standout in track. He’s also a good student who plans to enroll at the college of his choice early.

Recruiting buzz: North Carolina and Georgia have long been considered the favorites, but Florida, Florida State, Auburn, Alabama, Clemson and South Carolina, among others, could get in the mix as well.

8. Stefon Diggs, ATH, Olney, Md./Good Counsel

Scouting report: Diggs is a physical, fast gamer who could play either side of the ball at a high level in college. We like him slightly better as a cornerback because that’s where he is more rare, but could just as likely see him being a high-end receiver at a BCS Conference program. Diggs can re-direct well and is deceptively quick in addition to having legitimate speed and being a straight-up great football player.

Recruiting buzz: Nearly every school east of the Mississippi and many west of the Mississippi has offered. Diggs has given no hints about where he wants to go, except to say at one point he is interested in “Florida schools” Florida, Florida State and Miami (Fla.).

9. Kyle Murphy, OT, San Clemente, Calif.

Scouting report: Murphy is a slender 6-7 275-pounds with plenty of room to add good weight. Already he is a powerful player at offensive tackle. Murphy shows terrific athleticism getting to the second level, locating defenders and being physical at the point of attack. When engaged he keeps a powerful wide base, keeps his legs running and drives through defenders. Athletically Murphy is elite at the offensive line position and that shows in the pass game as well, with a good quick pass set and flexibility through his ankles and hips. A cerebral prospect with a 3.9 GPA and a brother starting at Harvard, Murphy has a low bust quotient as well.

Recruiting buzz: Murphy is open in his recruitment, but has noted that Oregon, Cal, Stanford and USC stick out as he has visited all four.

10. Gunner Kiel, QB, Columbus, Ind./East

Scouting report: The most polished signal-caller in the nation, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Kiel has great mechanics, a strong arm, and is a physical runner that can make plays with his legs when needed. He displays excellent toughness on film and has other added intangibles that make him the best in the country at his position.

Recruiting buzz: Kiel hasn’t narrowed down his lengthy list of scholarship offers, but a few schools that appear to be in good early shape are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and possibly USC.

11. Eddie Williams, ATH, Panama City, Fla./Arnold

Scouting report: Williams is impressive at first glance before ever watching a play or game. He is a big safety at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, that can run, has ideal quickness for his size, has shown timing for the ball in the air, is a hard hitter filling in the run game, eats up ground with a quickness and stride combination, pursues the ball with nasty intentions and intimidates receivers that challenge the middle of the field. His physicality and ability to take on and blow up would be blockers followed by a sure tackle sets him apart from many others. He possesses the body type to carry 230-pounds or more, which brings into question if he will stay at safety long term or grow into an outside linebacker. Wherever he ends up, he’s going to be a playmaker.

Recruiting buzz: Williams committed to Alabama in August of 2010 after considering offers from Florida State, Florida and many others.

12. Yuri Wright, CB, Ramsey, N.J./Don Bosco


D.J. Humphries has everything you want in an offensive tackle.
Scouting report: Maybe the most natural cornerback in this year’s class, Wright has rare instincts that makes allows him to play two steps faster than anyone else on the field. His transition out of a backpedal is smooth and fluid, he can run with any wide receiver and he has elite size when the ball arrives. Wright’s athleticism and makeup speed allows him to be slow in his backpedal and trust his quick recognition skills to make plays big plays downhill in the quick game and the run game. He also brings special teams value as a player that blocks a lot of kicks off of the edge, showing not only athleticism but a playmaking knack.

Recruiting Buzz: With offers from around the country, Wright has listed Michigan, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Georgia as schools that stand out.

13. D.J. Humphries, OT, Charlotte, N.C./Mallard Creek

Scouting report: Humphries has feet and a big frame, is flexible and strong. He’s everything you look for in a big-time offensive line prospect and has a great pass set for a high school trenchman. He gets good extension with his long arms and moves his feet well enough to make life tough for even the best high school-level defensive end. There’s a reason why nearly a half hundred schools have offered.

Recruiting buzz: Humphries is an SEC lean with Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and LSU high on his list and the Gators the team to beat.

14. Mario Edwards, DE, Denton, Texas/Ryan

Scouting report: Edwards is a unique prospect. He tips the scales at 280-pounds, but has the ability to play strong side defensive end due to combination of natural strength, understanding of leverage, enough quickness and the speed and desire to pursue the football. He is powerful bull rusher that registered nearly 20 sacks in 2010 along with an eye-popping 50 tackles for loss. Doesn’t stay blocked long and is very aggressive with the hands. His initial contact with high school offensive linemen normally ends with the lineman getting knocked backwards, off balance or to the ground. He has the body type to weigh 300-pounds and be a terrific penetrating, pass rushing three-technique down the line. He is the son of former Florida State and NFL cornerback Mario Edwards, who is on the coaching staff at Denton Ryan.

Recruiting buzz: Edwards committed to Florida State March 15 over Texas. Had verbal offers from the majority of the nations top programs.

15. Johnathan Gray, RB, Aledo, Texas

Scouting report: Gray is a complete back. At 5-foot-11, 200-pounds, he that rare ability to run the ball inside with vision, quick feet in the hole and subtle run maximizing power as well as the speed and quickness combination to get to the edge. He has the ability to score the ball on long runs or in the red zone. In the passing game, he has quality hands and doesn’t waste any motion after the catch. Also capable as a pass protector. Running back is in the bloodlines. His father, James Gray, played running back at Texas Tech. He will enter his senior season with more than 7,000 career-rushing yards.



Recruiting buzz: Gray is likely to announce his decision on his 18th birthday, April 22. Texas is considered the favorite over TCU and Texas A&M.
He has been to each school at least twice since the beginning of February.

16. Jameis Winston, QB, Hueytown, Ala.

Scouting report: There aren’t many concerns when it comes to the ability of Jameis Winston, in fact his baseball ability may be the biggest worry of all. A possible early draft pick in the Major League Baseball draft, Winston’s athleticism is evident. He is a prospect with good size as he continues to add weight. He has a big arm that he uses effectively both inside and outside of the pocket. Winston also has great big-play ability on the ground. He can use his speed and elusiveness not only to extend plays, but also to make defenders miss downfield and outrun opponents.

Recruiting Buzz: Many consider Winston’s recruitment to be a battle between Alabama and Florida State with the Tide on top. Auburn’s recent push has made the Tigers a factor as well.

17. Devin Fuller, QB/ATH, Old Tappan, N.J.

Scouting report: Fuller is an electric offensive football player with breakaway speed and excellent quickness and change of direction. As a quarterback, he’s a good passer in addition to being able to consistently make th magic happen with his legs. If he moves to another position, many believe he could be a big-time cornerback at the college level. After watching him cover at a 7-on-7 event in February, we could see that as well.




Chris Black is one of the most complete receivers in the 2012 class.
Recruiting buzz: Is legitimately wide open. There is talk to watch out for Georgia Tech, watch out for Virginia and some other schools that have talked to him about playing quarterback specifically, but Fuller is the type of prospect that examines and considers every offer equally.

18. Zeke Pike, QB, Fort Mitchell, Ky./Dixie Heights

Scouting report: The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Pike is a football player through and through. Watch his film and he’s not only making outstanding throws and plays from the quarterback position, but he’s also wreaking havoc from his defensive end position and blocking field goals.

Recruiting buzz: Pike has yet to name favorites but said that when he narrows his list, Auburn, Arkansas, North Carolina, Purdue and Tennessee will likely make the first cut. Places like Florida, Florida State, LSU and Michigan could also make a strong push.



19. Chris Black, WR, Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast

Scouting report: Black may not be the most physically imposing wide receiver in the 2012 class, but he is one of the best. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder is blessed with special quickness and playmaking ability. Black features electric feet, terrific hands, impeccable timing, ideal separation in and out of breaks, the ability to make multiple defenders miss in space and is strong with the ball. His ability to snatch the ball out of the air in a crowd sets him apart, along with his ability after the catch. Black is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Runs after the catch or in the return game with vision.

Recruiting buzz: Black has Florida State and Alabama as co-leaders with Florida and South Carolina running third and fourth.

20. Darius Hamilton, DT, Ramsey, N.J./Don Bosco

Scouting report: The son of former New York Giant Keith Hamilton, Darius is an active defensive lineman with a quick first step extremely quick hands that lines up both on the inside and outside for his high school team and makes plays in both spots. His versatility, size/speed/athleticism and bloodlines make him a can’t miss type of prospect.

Recruiting buzz: Hamilton is wide open. He plans to make several unofficial visits before beginning to narrow his list. Rutgers would love to keep him and several of his teammates in-state.

21. Jarron Jones, DT, Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas

Scouting report: Jones is raw, but has great quickness and huge upside. Lik Armstead, he could end up on the offensive side of the ball, but has an excellent ceiling on defense as well. Once word of his ability and his film started circulating, Jones’ offer list shot into the double digits.

Recruiting buzz: Is wide-open, but Penn State, Rutgers and schools in the Northeast are all factors. He plans to visit State College in the near future.

Kate Upton doing the Dougie

You may be asking yourself why did I post this?

Well why not? Seriously you should never have to ask that question if you come to this blog.

One Shining Moment 2011 March Madness

Always great to hear Luther Vandross busting out the vocals. I'm not even going to talk about last night's abortion of a National Championship game. It's honestly not worth writing about. I just wanted to hear Vandross belt out the "One Shining Moment" one last time.

National Championship Game Prediction

Tonight's matchup of the Butler Bulldogs versus the Connecticut Huskies could be an epic showdown. Butler has been my tournament automatic winner. They always beat the spread and they always seem to be the underdog. They almost won the National Championship last season and still Vegas thinks they shouldn't be favored. Butler is 11-1 in their last 12 tournament games.

UCONN comes in as the hottest team in the nation. They rode the coattails of Kemba Walker to an improbable Big East Championship at Madison Square Garden and they haven't let up. They are 12-0 in neutral site games. Jim Calhoun has two national championships. If UCONN was playing anybody else besides Butler I would take them in this game.

The pick is BUTLER +3. I think they win their first National Championship. Matt Howard and his floppy hair clean up the boards and win the front court battle. Kemba will get his points and will again have another memorable performance. But I'm taking Butler and Brad Stevens. He has created a dynasty. Butler is just as talented as UCONN and they win because their bench is better and they want it more.

Prediction: Butler 61 UCONN 59

How Sweep It Is!

Screenshot via CamdenChat

It has been a long 14 years since the Baltimore Orioles started the season 3-0 so I'm just going to savor the flavor of the AL East standings at this point. The Orioles went down to Tampa and rode their young arms to a clean 3 game sweep of the Rays. Between Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman, and Zach Britton the starters only gave up 1 run. While it's way too early to start making definitive statements in regards to how good the Orioles are or how bad the Rays could be this season it is just nice to the see the Orioles wake up on the right side of the bed for once. If the young pitching holds up then this could be a magical season because the hitting is definitely going to be top 5 in the league. Since Buck Showalter has taken over as manager the Orioles have a 37-24 record. This would be good for a 4 1/2 game lead in the AL East over the 61 game timespan.

Nationals fan talking shit to some Braves fans

Calm down old man. It's only the first weekend. You still got 159 games left. The Washington Nationals have plenty of losses left in their tank so you might want to ease up on the beer. It's going to be a long season. It's all about pace. He is correct about one thing: "This ain't Atlanta!" Winners reside in Atlanta.

If you are a Braves fan you have to like what you saw out of Derek Lowe and Huddy. Both veterans are on the wrong side of 30 but are still pitching like they are in their prime.

Video via TheBigLead

Jacob Tucker, 5'11 White Guy, Wins NCAA Dunk Contest

Jacob Tucker is the 5'11 point guard from Illinois College with a 50 inch vertical jump. Are you fucking kidding me? 50 inches? Damn. This kid has mad skill when it comes to dunks. I think he might even be better than Blake Griffin. He got in the dunk contest because of his YouTube videos. Now is there a chance some NBA team could draft him? Maybe 2nd round. I would love to see him in next year's NBA Dunk Contest. Tucker vs. Blake would be epic.

Video via BigLeadSports

One Shining Moment: College Football Offseason

Great job SolidVerbal.

Looking Good Pete Rose

I honestly don't know how the ladies can keep their hands off old Charlie Hustle. If you got a fetish for clowns then Rose is your Bozo. I thought Rose wanted to get into Cooperstown? His wardrobe is worse than his gambling. You might want to pick up that phone...it's Craig Sager asking for his suit back.

Pathetic Yankees Fans Can't Even Sell Out Opening Day

48,226 (92.3% full) - % is based on regular season capacity-ESPN.com

Congratulations New York. You showed today that again you could give two shits about your 27-time World Series Champions. On Opening Day in your god awful city you couldn't even muster up the courage to go see your beloved Yankees beat the Tigers on Opening Day. If I ever hear a fucking New Yorker talk about how shitty Atlanta fans are I'm just going to point out this blog.

Atlanta Fans > New Yorkers

2011 MLB PREDICTIONS

Opening day is here. Can you smell the Cracker jacks? Can you taste the cold beer? Can you hear the crack of the bat? I do. I'm ready for some baseball. Before the season starts I want to get some predictions out of the way. If you want to go ahead and just print these out that would be great. Because it's the truth.

AL EAST-The Boston Red Sox will run away with this division. Both the Yankees and the Rays took serious steps back while the Sox went out and added Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. The Orioles are vastly improved from last season with the additions of Vlad, Derrek Lee, Mark Reynolds, and J.J. Hardy to the starting lineup. They don't have the pitching to win the East but if a lot of things fall their way (young staff develops, hitters stay healthy, bullpen strong) they can win 88 plus games this year and maybe sneak a Wild Card out of it. The Jays are still in Canada.

AL CENTRAL-The Chicago White Sox win an extremely tight race with the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins coming just a game or two short. All 3 of these teams are interchangeable and I could see the Tigers or the Twins winning this division. It will come down to which team can stay healthy. The Indians will again be terrible. The Royals have a ton of young talent but are still a year or two away from being a legitimate Central contender.

AL WEST-The Texas Rangers win a close race with the Oakland A's. The Rangers are the returning AL Champs and should again be strong but I have some doubt their pitching holds up like it did last year. Losing Vlad hurts too. The A's have some really good young starters and could shock the baseball world and win the whole thing this year. No kidding. I don't see the Angels doing much and the Mariners will again be awful.

WILD CARD-Oakland A's. I like the additions of Willingham and Matsui to the lineup and I really like their pitching.
AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez
AL Cy Young:Justin Verlander
AL Rookie of the Year:Zach Britton
AL Comeback Player of the Year: J.J. Hardy

NL EAST-The Phillies just have too much pitching. They ran away with the division last year despite not having Cliff Lee and numerous injuries. Losing Jayson Werth hurts but somebody will step up. The Atlanta Braves are right up there with the Phillies and Giants in terms of strong starting pitching. They could catch lightning in a bottle with young guys like Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman carrying the lineup. The Marlins, Mets, and Nationals don't have a prayer in this division.

NL CENTRAL-The Reds should win this division all though I do love the Brewers team. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce should have monster seasons and carry the Reds over the Brewers. The Cardinals are a sleeper and if they still had Adam Wainwright I would probably take them to win this division. With Carps questionable and the controversy over Pujols upcoming free agency and Larussa getting shit faced while driving to the park it could be a disastrous season in St. Louis. The Cubs are the Cubs. There is always next year. The Astros and the Pirates might be the two worst teams in baseball.

NL WEST-I really want to take the Colorado Rockies but I just can't. The Giants pitching is just too dominant. The Ganja is strong with San Fran. The Dodgers have a ton of talent but the organization is a mess. The Diamondbacks just aren't good. Giants win a close race with the Rockies.

NL WILDCARD: Atlanta Braves. If the Braves don't win the wild card then take the Phillies here.
NL MVP:Troy Tulowitzki
NL Cy Young:Roy Halladay
NL Rookie of the Year:Craig Kimbrel
NL Comeback Player of the Year:Pablo Sandoval

ALDS Predictions: Red Sox over Oakland, White Sox over Texas
NLDS Predictions: Phillies over Reds, Braves over Giants

ALCS Prediction: Red Sox over White Sox
NLCS Prediction: Braves over Phillies

WORLD SERIES: Red Sox over Braves in 6 games.

This is what happens when you try to fight NBA Legend Dominique Wilkins

From the AJC.com...

The man charged with attacking NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins is disputing that he instigated the incident.

Rashan S. Michel allegedly punched Wilkins after Wednesday night's Hawks-Magic game because, he said, Wilkins owed him money, Atlanta police said.

Michel, 36, was arrested and charged with one count of simple battery following the incident, Officer K.Y. Jones with Atlanta police told the AJC. Michel was released on $1,000 bond early Thursday morning.

Michel, who told police he was owed money for suits purchased several years ago, hit Wilkins in the chest and also hit a security guard, Jones said. Michel, of Atlanta, has worked as an NBA and college basketball referee and previously owned his own clothing store.

"The fan was promptly arrested and was taken into custody by the Atlanta Police Department," Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said in a statement to the AJC. "At this time the Hawks have no additional information or comment regarding this situation."

NBA.com's Sekou Smith tweeted that Wilkins got in three "solid" punches during the brief fight, while his assailant landed none.

Let this be a lesson kids. Never. And I mean never. Confront a NBA legend on his own home court and demand money. Only bad things can happen to you and your face. When it comes to Atlanta legends the Human Highlight Reel is right up there with the all-time greats. I'm talking Hank Aaron, Dale Murphy, Chipper Jones, Ozzie Virgil, and then you have to slot Dominique in there. Nique delivers one hell of a punch whether it be stiffing a $13k bill or throwing down a windmill. And if you wore stripes you need to know your role. Call fouls. Don't create.

Another Huge Shocker: The Fiesta Bowl is Corrupt

Yesterday the Fiesta Bowl released a report which revealed that the bowl committee, which is suppose to be a non-profit organization, had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on illegal political contributions, strip club visits (yay!), a lavish birthday party for the president John Junker, and many other gifts and personal travel. All of this while schools like UCONN who participated in the Fiesta Bowl last year reportedly lost up to $2 million because they were required to buy an allotment of tickets they could not sell.

I love the sweet smell of BCS corruption. Right now the face of the corruption is John Junker. He's the dickhead who makes $592,000 a year to organize and corrupt one fucking game. He's going to be the scapegoat but I can guarangoddamntee you that every single Bowl president in college football is corrupt. Hell the whole system is corrupt. Junker spent $33,000 on his own fucking birthday party in Pebble Beach and charged it to the Fiesta Bowl. He spent another $13,000 to throw a wedding for one of his assistants. These assholes have literally been stealing money and getting away with it for decades. If you ever wonder why we don't have a playoff system it is because all of these jerkoffs are getting paid out of the ass to keep the status quo.

And this is why the BCS is like our political system. Nothing changes other than the rich get richer. They steal from the poor and give it to the rich. They create these non-profit organizations and literally steal money from schools, tax payers, and us the fans. Junker maybe the face of it right now but the Rose Bowl, Orange, Sugar, and all the other bowls have some dickhead who is literally stealing money from us while they hit up the strip clubs, buy whores, swing the golf clubs, and pay off the next politician while throwing ridiculous parties. They give each other fake bonuses and pats on the back while shoving down our throats their BCS propraganda.

There are 120 Football Bowl Subdivision presidents who currently support the status quo of bowls as the way to crown a national champion. The reason why they support it is because they make the most money out of the system. It's sickening and it needs to change. Hopefully Junker and the Fiesta Bowl was just the first domino to fall.

Ex-Auburn Players Claim "Money Handshakes" were the norm

Tonight at 10pm on HBO's Real Sports journalist Andrea Kremer has a segment called "Pay to Play" in which she chronicles 4 ex-Auburn football players who received numerous "money handshakes" upwards to $4000 per game for playing in college football games.

SportsByBrooks.com received an advance copy of the segment and transcribed some of the interviews with former Auburn players Stanley McClover, Chaz Ramsey, Troy Reddick, and Raven Gray.

On McClover’s recruitment:
Kremer voiceover: “McClover said it wasn’t until he attended an all-star camp at Louisiana State University that he realized how the game is played. A game of money and influence.”
McClover: “Somebody came to me, I don’t even know this person and he was like, ‘we would love for you to come to LSU and he gave me a handshake and it had five hundred dollars in there. … that’s called a money handshake … I grabbed it and I’m like, ‘wow,’ hell I thought ten dollars was a lot of money back then. Five hundred dollars for doing nothing but what I was blessed to do. I was happy.”
Kremer to McClover: “What did you say to the guy when he hands you five hundred dollars?”
McClover: “Thank you and I’m seriously thinking about coming to LSU.”
Kremer voiceover: “But McClover says there were money handshakes from boosters at other football camps too. At Auburn for a couple hundred dollars and at Michigan State. All the schools denied any wrongdoing. And things really started heating up a few months later when he went to Ohio State for an official visit where schools get a chance for one weekend to host prospective athletes. McClover says there were money handshakes from alumni there too. About a thousand dollars. And something else to entice him.”
McClover: “They send girls my way. I partied. When I got there I met up with a couple guys from the team. We went to a party and they asked me to pick any girl I wanted.”
Kremer: “Did she offer sexual services?“
McClover: “Yes.”
Kremer: “Did you take them?”
McClover: “Yes.”
Kremer: “McClover committed to Ohio State right after that weekend. The recruiter at Ohio State who says he dealt with McClover that weekend denied the school was involved in any wrongdoing.”
On what caused McClover to sign with Auburn over Ohio State:
Kremer voiceover: “McClover says what he asked for was money. A lot of it. And that he got it. Delivered in a bookbag, exact amount unknown.”
Kremer to McClover: “You opened it up, what are you thinking?”
McClover: “I almost passed out. I literally almost passed out I couldn’t believe it was true. I felt like I owed them.”
Kremer to McClover: “You felt obligated to them (Auburn)?”
McClover: “I felt totally obligated.”
Kremer to McClover: “Because of the money?”
McClover: “Yeah.”
Troy Reddick talks about his recruitment by Auburn
Reddick: “I was contacted by a local alumni (of Auburn) and offered a large sum of money.
Kremer: “What are you thinking?”
Reddick: “That people are trying to take advantage of me. And I can’t give anybody any kind of power over me.”
Kremer voiceover: “He (Reddick) says he didn’t take the handout. …
Reddick on why he was unhappy at Auburn - and the remedy for that unhappiness
Kremer voiceover: “Reddick was growing increasingly unhappy because he says the (Auburn) coaches wanted him to change his major. Why? Because his class schedule got in the way of football practice.”
Reddick: “I changed my major, so my classes didn’t interfere no more but I didn’t bother to go because I knew I was only there to play football.”
Kremer: “So what did you do?”
Reddick: “I started complaining and insinuating that I was ready to leave any day. They had to do something about that.”
Kremer voiceover: “The enticement to stay, Reddick says, became clear to him, when one of the coaches approached him after a team meeting.”
Reddick: “He (Auburn coach) said I got some mail for you up in my office.”
Kremer to Reddick: “Some mail for you?”
Reddick: “And I followed him up to his office and he gave me an envelope. I didn’t open there, I walked out to my truck, took off. … It was about 500 dollars.”
Kremer: “500 dollars in the envelope?”
Reddick: (nods yes)
Kremer: “How often did you get the money in the envelope?”
Reddick: “Over that season it happened like two or three more times. And it happened about six or seven times my senior year.”
Kremer: “So where do you think the money came from?”
Reddick: “I think that worry got back to alumni from my hometown. Or it may have been the coaches or the staff but everybody knew I didn’t want to be there.”
On McClover being paid $4,000 for his performance in the Iron Bowl:
Kremer voiceover: “Stanley McClover says he was also paid while at school (Auburn). Paid by boosters. Like the time he had his eye on this 1973 Chevy Impala.”
McClover: “Private owner wanted seven thousand in cash so I went to my booster who I knew and he gave me the money the next day in a bookbag.”
Kremer voiceover: “McClover says eventually he didn’t have to ask for money, as long as he played well, he’d get paid.”
Kremer to McClover: “How much was a sack worth?”
McClover: “Anywhere between 300 and 400 dollars. For one.”
Kremer to McClover: “I think in one game you had four sacks, what did you earn in that game?”
McClover: “Four thousand. Against Alabama.”
Kremer: “Seriously?”
McClover: “Alabama, a rivalry game.”
Kremer: “More money because it’s Alabama?”
McClover: “Definitely. No other game matters.”
Chaz Ramsey and Raven Gray are interviewed at same time together
Kremer voiceover: “Chaz Ramsey played for a year (for Auburn) in 2007, and says he too received money handshakes after games.”
Ramsey: “You walk out and all the fans are waiting for you to sign autographs and everything and some random guy just walks up to you and shakes your hand and there’s a wad full of money.”
Kremer: “How much are we talking about?”
Ramsey: “300 or 400 dollars a game.”
Kremer voiceover: “Raven Gray was a top (Auburn) recruit in 2007, he says people affiliated with Auburn would visit him at his junior college and press the flesh there too.”
Kremer to Gray: “How much do you think you got?”
Gray: “Twenty five-hundred to three thousand dollars. Loyalty is the key. This man give me money I’m going to be loyal to him and go to Auburn.”
Kremer voiceover: “And he did go to Auburn but got injured before he ever played a game.”
On Ramsey’s motivation for coming forward
Kremer: “You have an axe to grind?” (Ramsey had a medical claim lawsuit against Auburn recently thrown out.)
Ramsey: “I’m not out to get anybody, I want high school athletes to know what they’re getting into. This is what college football is really about it, it’s a business.”
Ramsey and Reddick on selling items made available to Auburn players by the school:
Ramsey: “I would sell tickets all the time, Iron Bowl you can make a thousand dollars a ticket.”
Kremer: “How much money did that get you during your time at Auburn?”
Ramsey: “Five-six thousand dollars probably.”
Reddick: “I sold my SEC Championship watch right off the stage as we were celebrating in Toomer’s Corner.”
Kremer: “Why did you sell it?”
Reddick: “Because it was useless to me. I had to sell all my championship rings to help my sister not go into debt as her house was about to be foreclosed on.”

To some people this may come as shocking. College football players being paid cash by big universities like Auburn, Ohio State, Michigan State, and LSU to simply play the game. I know it sounds incredible right? (/sarcasm) Listen this kind of shit has been going on for decades. It's not even necessarily the school's fault. The boosters and renegade alumni/fans offer these kids hundreds if not thousands of dollars in cash and I'm sure the coaches and/or school officials have no idea it happens most of the time.

Major college football has been dirty for years. It happens everywhere. Everywhere. Some of the schools just don't get caught. Auburn is getting piled on right now because they just won a National Championship. It comes with the territory. I'm not going to hide my head in the sand and say my favorite school hasn't had some sort of impropriety when it comes to recruiting or keeping their current student-athletes happy while still in school. If I was a broke student-athlete like the majority of them are I can tell you one thing: I wouldn't turn down the money.

I'm looking forward to watching tonight's Real Sports. Hopefully they show the more human side of why these football players take the money and not make them look to be pariahs. What they did was wrong by taking the money according to NCAA rules but if it so common among campuses for something like this to happen on a daily occurrence then why are they not being arrested? Because they didn't break the law. They only broke NCAA rules.

Now go ahead and cue the "SEC always cheats!" and they play unfairly and my school doesn't and it give them a competitive advantage blah blah bull shit argument.

For more hard hitting journalism go to SportsByBrooks.com

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Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco is a big fan on the Shake Weight

What a natural. It's like her hands were built for it. I've never seen an episode of The Big Bang Theory or The Ellen Show for that matter but my viewing habits may have to change.

Video via ExtraMustard

Chris Mooney turns down Georgia Tech, hires Brian Gregory

Last week on my Facebook page I posted that Georgia Tech was in for some good news with confirmation from a reliable inside source that they were set to hire Richmond's Chris Mooney. From what I heard everything was agreed upon a couple of weeks ago and the deal would be announced whenever Richmond exited the tournament. Well Richmond finally lost in the Sweet 16 to Kansas and Mooney was expected to take the Georgia Tech job this week.

Well obviously that didn't happen. Yesterday Richmond announced they had signed Mooney to a ten-year extension. It appears Mooney used Georgia Tech to get a new contract and stay in Richmond. I've driven through Richmond many of times and have never had the desire to stop one time. Not even to take a piss. Mooney has to coach there for the next decade. Wow.

Last night Georgia Tech moved swiftly and hired their second choice in Dayton's Brian Gregory. Some people had lofty dreams of Butler's Brad Stevens coaching in the new Thriller Dome in 2012 but that was never going to happen. Stevens has turned Butler into a powerhouse with back-to-back Final Four appearances. Gregory and Mooney were the two realistic shots for a Georgia Tech basketball program who should be a perennial tournament team with the talent they can pull in the Atlanta area and playing in a major conference like the ACC. Gregory is not going to sell tickets. He took Dayton to the tournament two times in eight seasons there. Dayton went 48-48 in conference play in the last 6 seasons. Paul Hewitt got fired because he only had one winning season in ACC play. And Hewitt was a hell of a recruiter. I feel like Georgia Tech settled for a hamburger when they should be eating a steak.

Gregory could win big for Georgia Tech. Anything is possible. But I wouldn't bet on it. I loved it when Tech hired Paul Johnson to be their football coach because I knew he could win. I'm not so sure about Gregory. I'm sure athletic director Dan Radakovich feels the same way.

Minor? Beachy? Lopez? Or....

AP Photo

Let's chat about the Brave's pitching. There's no way I can have Matt, or probably many of you, agree with me, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I'd take the Braves pitching staff over any other staff in baseball. Granted, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Roy Oswalt are 3 of the top 10 pitchers in the game, but Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, and Derek Lowe aren't exactly slouches. For the sake of this post, let's get past the first 3 spots in the rotation and talk about starters 4 and 5.

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Jair Jurrjens is 25 years old and like Hanson, has his best days ahead of him. In 4 seasons, Jurjjens has compiled a record of 37 wins and 27 losses, a 58% winning percentage, averaging 14 wins and 10 losses a season. His lifetime ERA is 3.52 with opponents only batting .251 against him.

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Let's compare him versus Cole Hamels who has one more year of experience. Hamels has a record of 60 wins and 45 losses, a 57% winning percentage, averaging 14 wins and 10 losses a season. His lifetime ERA is 3.53 with opponents batting .242 against him. Let's also point out that Hamels has had a more potent lineup with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Jayson Werth than Jurjjens has had with Brian McCann and Chipper Jones. Come on, I'm a huge Braves fan, but let's be realistic, they haven't had the consistency the Phillies have had the past few years. Anyone still want to be so quick to trade Jurrjens? Not this guy for sure. Anyone who wouldn't take those numbers in your number 4 starter probably doesn't know too much about baseball. With a much improved line up, Jurrjens is due to have an all star caliber year, assuming he stays healthy.

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The more interesting part of this spring has been the battle for the 5th starter. Mike Minor has killed it in the minor leagues. In 2010, his first full year, he had a record of 6 wins and 7 losses with a 3.44 ERA. Minor has struck out 146 batters in only 120 innings pitched. The former Vanderbilt star has held batters to a .217 average last season before being called up to the club where he set a rookie record of 12 strikeouts in one game. Minor has pitched well this spring, but despite his phenomenal numbers throughout his minor league career he was beaten out of the fifth spot in the rotation.

Rodrigo Lopez was signed by the Braves in an effort to resurrect his pro career. I don't have a strong opinion on Lopez, but I do think he's shown enough of a presence to get traded to another team and compete for a fourth or fifth starters role. The Braves could use this guy if they didn't have such an embarrassment of riches on their hands, but the truth is they Braves are in a great spot and Lopez wants to be on a pro roster.

Kenshin Kawakami has been the biggest risk and biggest failure of the Frank Wren era. I don't want to say this guy doesn't have good stuff, but he's not a pro-caliber pitcher in the states. His pitches move enough, he has enough command, he has enough mound presence, but he hasn't been able to translate that to success in the major leagues. It's time to cut your losses and say goodbye to Kawakami. Just like Lopez, although I'd take Lopez any day over Kawakami, the Braves simply don't need him and he does not even come close to providing the stability nor the win factor to be the Brave's 5th starter.

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Let's face it, all of these guys have been beaten out by an undrafted rookie, Brandon Beachy. Beachy has been nothing short of a WOW for the Braves. Since signing, he has been lights out, showing pin point control, dominating movement, and a demeanor well beyond his years across all levels of the organization. Beachy has no doubt won the 5th starter role this year and though he may be pitching as an audition for another team, he provides the best chance for the Braves to win now.

The catch of all of this is that the Braves have 5 including Minor and Beachy, of the top 10 pitching prospects in the game. Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, and Arodys Vizcaino waiting in the wings. Think about the future rotation that could be Hanson, Jurjjens, Minor, Beachy, Teheran or Hanson, Teheran, Minor, Vizcaino, and Delgado. Put any of those five names together and you have a 1 - 5 rotation that may be the best to ever pitch together, including the Phillies 2011 staff and the Braves staffs of the 90's. As always, this is just one man's opinion, but the future looks bright.