(NFL PR Guru) "Ladies and Gentleman thank you for attending today's press conference on NFL Kickoffs if you'll all find your seats, the panel will be taking questions soon. Once again this is a reminder that our panel today consisting of NFL return specialist Devin Hester, Darren Sproils, and 2nd year return man Javier Arenas from Kansas City. Also joining us today on the other side of the table, defensive specialist LaMarr Woodley, Clark Haggans. Note only one question to one player at at time lets begin in the front here with the ESPN Magazines NFL Insider John Eastcoster."
Eastcoster: "A question to Devin Hester, aren't you thrilled the new NFL kickoff rule will lower injuries for return men such as yourself?"
Hester: "Uh ya no one ever wants to get hurt playing this game, but then again no one wants to give up their bonus money either. Do we have solid evidence that that injuries are going to go down? Or is there solid evidence I won't make bonus money and my family will have to suffer lost career income? Next question."
(Guru): Next lets go to CBS Sports' Paul Talkinghead
Talkinghead: "Lets get the defensive prospective, question to Mr. Woodley. Isn't the new shorten kickoff going to save a lot of energy for your defensive unit and save you from getting hurt too?"
Woodley:"Last time I checked the National Football League produced a sport that was played by Men. This powder puff horse sh*# has to go."
(Guru): Woodley there will be a fine for that non-1910 language... Next uhh uhh Oh yes NFL on Fox ex coach Tom Turkeyneck
Turkeyneck: "Uh ya, wow ok this thing on, hello hello test.
(Guru): MIKES ON TURKEYNECK SPIT OUT YOUR QUESTION!
Turkeyneck: Uh ya well uh, To Mr. Arenas from uh KC...ohh you guys have good BBQ, what a stadium tailgate too with the brats and burgers, and BBQ, and beers, and did I meantion BBQ...
(Guru) QUESTION TURKEYNECK or your network losses pre-game rights.
Turkeneck: "Well now you put that way... Arenas does it feel like you are a dying breed of NFL player right now?
Arenas: "Well truth be told Tom, all of us up here have a short Not For Long shelf life and this is just killing my position right now. May be I can take up the issue in front of Congress or President Obama, because Goodell has stopped listening"
(Guru) Watch yourself Arenas that college education, with lack of serious hits to the head thus far has still let you think a little to much on your own, another step out of line and its back to rookie grooming school for you.... So I see we have time for one last question... Uh HBO Real Wannabe Sports, or New York Times... hmmm HBO wins go ahead.
HBO: "Question to Arizona Cardinal Clark Haggans: This does mean less running in that Arizona heat, that has to make you happy, right?
Haggans: "I get paid to hit people, my stats suffer, yet your concerned if we are running too much. Thank God our new CBA has better retirement bennies I can't take much more of this. More dumb questions and I'll start hitting dumb reporters.
NFL PR Guru: Well this has just gone great thank you all for coming...uh whats that murmuring from the back of the room, oh you want to ask more questions...Uhhh ummm hmmm the NFL will release player cleared statements on our website tomorrow. Freedom of speech you say... uh yes they'll have the freedom to talk to NFL PR, thanks again for coming out.
THE NEW KICKOFF RULE IS SIMPLE. Simply not going to work. I have a solution that can keep the NFL from going down its narrow path to game censorship described above. Instead of shorting the kickoff make them longer, make teams kick off from their 15 and mandate kickoff defensives must run up from the Endzone. I seriously doubt full impact collisions are going to take place after one player just puts in a 80 + yard wind sprint and the opposing coverage has time to set a few protections up and juke defensive players from the first one or two big hits. Just think how much more exciting the game good be. Average drives start at the 40 and points per game go up. After all no one wants to watch a three hour game for a 10 to 3 out come. How about sitting through a game where an average 50-70 points are scored. Still want onside kicks sure free onside balls must be kicked from the 15 and reach the 30 yard line any where there on is free game, however the receiving team can not line up any closer then the 50. It could work or it least it would be a step in the right direction. NBA Commissioner David Sterns had to pull a 180 on the "new basketball" they tried a few years ago, now NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to see this idea was just as worthless. If they can revamp the kickoff rule they can remove a snooze feast of a play, and inject more excitement for a better end product.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Let's Fix Football
In light of "The U" there are some college football fans, supporters, deans, athletic directors that are just coming out throwing their hands in the air and saying why don't we just pay this college athletes? Why not let boosters pay to recruit them, and then pay for their play. Give them the 30 Grand school signing bonus, then a million a year to play. Those comments are so asinine and egregious that sports bars and ticket takers every where should be issued your photo so that those who think they should get paid that amount can't attend another game and spread such unfounded ideals amongst true sports fans. However I think there finally might be room for compromise, not a pay for play, but another form of a student loan. One that the athlete will have to be responsible for whether or not they go pro or major in something else.
First, these are Student-Athletes, the student part always should come first. Don't make the grade don't play, don't follow the rules don't play, and guess what all students are broke. These 18,19,20 year-old kids are getting their room and board paid for, extra free meals in the athletic department dinning halls, FREE tutors, plus a $40,000 education laid in their laps. Let me tell you that is a damn lot more than I had going to school, I ate noodles and dollar menu's 6 or 7 days a week to survive and pay rent.
However, now you want to see them get paid well for their contribution to the university. That is that I'm not blind and realize that certain blue chip athletes can pull in a ton of cash from jersey sells, tickets purchased, etc. Either way they already did get paid to the tune of $40-60 K a year if you add up the paragraph above. Plus what's to say if we are just opening the flood gates and giving up on the real problems at hand that it would solve anything? In fact it would make it worse. So your QB, RB, WR, and Defensive captain get more than other players on the team. In what world does that make sense to you? Once again these are very young men, who if given 5 to 10 grand extra year are not going to spend it on Subway, a date night to the movies, or cell phone bills to cover calls home to mama. They are going to blow that cash on booze, weed, pimpin rides, tattoos, and who knows what else. Don't believe me? What would you have done if someone gave you an extra $10 grand the first week you were away from your family structure and off on your own at college? Like any 20 year old that money wasn't going to the bank it was going to the bar.
So devils advocats think that just because some boosters do it now, they should just open it up and let boosters have the money let them? C'mon how does that level the playing field when there are the T. Boone Pickens, and the Phil Knights of the world can give amazing recruiting and signing bonuses . So now we know how the Big XII, Pac 10, Big 10 would draw to get their talent, yet the Independent schools, Mountain West Leagues, and Conference USA schools of the world get left to suffer.
ESPN did come back later in the day with a round table panel to discuss this, the likes of the College Football Analysts and former coaches Urban Meyer, Nick Saben, and other professionals. This Cost of Attendence notion they brought up should be looked it as a loan from either the University or Federal Aid, that must be paid back upon exit of the university. Make it one flat rate of an easy $1,000 per semester per athlete, and only if the school deems it necessary does it get offered. Correct human behaviors, show these kids there is a price for attending instutions of higher learning. If they break the rules, get benched, or kicked out of school guess what the bills still keep coming just like in the real world. It makes me sick that we are putting the NFL supplemental draft on hold for Terrelle Pryor if he didn't meet the requirements especially due to rules violations then he must pay the consequences. The NFL should not be any sort of escape or safe haven for players who broke rules and laws in college. Sit out, unemployed for an entire NFL year, realize what a gift you have and how foolish it can be wasted on the things that don't matter. They might get a small taste of what it is like for the millions of Americans that know what it is like to be out of work. A lot of those are the same Americans that will pay for tickets when there are a few extra bucks in the bank. These athletes should even be thankful they are not locked up for that year or more like a Mike Vick or Plaxico Burress, who I'm sure would tell you having your lively hood taken and shelf life decreased hurts. Just giving a free pass to these kids to take what ever money they get from where ever they get it and not have someone to answer to at the end of the day is just ludicrous, not lucrative.
Well I've been up for 20 straight hours, next time how to fix the NFL kick off, HERE WE GO!
First, these are Student-Athletes, the student part always should come first. Don't make the grade don't play, don't follow the rules don't play, and guess what all students are broke. These 18,19,20 year-old kids are getting their room and board paid for, extra free meals in the athletic department dinning halls, FREE tutors, plus a $40,000 education laid in their laps. Let me tell you that is a damn lot more than I had going to school, I ate noodles and dollar menu's 6 or 7 days a week to survive and pay rent.
However, now you want to see them get paid well for their contribution to the university. That is that I'm not blind and realize that certain blue chip athletes can pull in a ton of cash from jersey sells, tickets purchased, etc. Either way they already did get paid to the tune of $40-60 K a year if you add up the paragraph above. Plus what's to say if we are just opening the flood gates and giving up on the real problems at hand that it would solve anything? In fact it would make it worse. So your QB, RB, WR, and Defensive captain get more than other players on the team. In what world does that make sense to you? Once again these are very young men, who if given 5 to 10 grand extra year are not going to spend it on Subway, a date night to the movies, or cell phone bills to cover calls home to mama. They are going to blow that cash on booze, weed, pimpin rides, tattoos, and who knows what else. Don't believe me? What would you have done if someone gave you an extra $10 grand the first week you were away from your family structure and off on your own at college? Like any 20 year old that money wasn't going to the bank it was going to the bar.
So devils advocats think that just because some boosters do it now, they should just open it up and let boosters have the money let them? C'mon how does that level the playing field when there are the T. Boone Pickens, and the Phil Knights of the world can give amazing recruiting and signing bonuses . So now we know how the Big XII, Pac 10, Big 10 would draw to get their talent, yet the Independent schools, Mountain West Leagues, and Conference USA schools of the world get left to suffer.
ESPN did come back later in the day with a round table panel to discuss this, the likes of the College Football Analysts and former coaches Urban Meyer, Nick Saben, and other professionals. This Cost of Attendence notion they brought up should be looked it as a loan from either the University or Federal Aid, that must be paid back upon exit of the university. Make it one flat rate of an easy $1,000 per semester per athlete, and only if the school deems it necessary does it get offered. Correct human behaviors, show these kids there is a price for attending instutions of higher learning. If they break the rules, get benched, or kicked out of school guess what the bills still keep coming just like in the real world. It makes me sick that we are putting the NFL supplemental draft on hold for Terrelle Pryor if he didn't meet the requirements especially due to rules violations then he must pay the consequences. The NFL should not be any sort of escape or safe haven for players who broke rules and laws in college. Sit out, unemployed for an entire NFL year, realize what a gift you have and how foolish it can be wasted on the things that don't matter. They might get a small taste of what it is like for the millions of Americans that know what it is like to be out of work. A lot of those are the same Americans that will pay for tickets when there are a few extra bucks in the bank. These athletes should even be thankful they are not locked up for that year or more like a Mike Vick or Plaxico Burress, who I'm sure would tell you having your lively hood taken and shelf life decreased hurts. Just giving a free pass to these kids to take what ever money they get from where ever they get it and not have someone to answer to at the end of the day is just ludicrous, not lucrative.
Well I've been up for 20 straight hours, next time how to fix the NFL kick off, HERE WE GO!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Ten Dollar Dinner w/ President Obama: More jaw work is in order
An Alexander Hamilton for an audience with current President Barack Obama, that's right our nation's leader is inviting four people to a "casual dinner" with him. The only catch is that you do have to drop that ten-dollar bill, or more if your leaning more toward the left, to get your name in the drawing.
In the name of transparency, I did put down my ten bucks for a chance to meet the President. Why not, its only about half an hour salary for me, plus with looming chance to meet the leader of the free world, win the Powerball, or get hit by lighting I figure I'm due for one of the three. Plus like many American's I'm sure my thoughts are at least worth a dime of that ten dollars. So many topics to cover over three courses from Obama's recent announcement of troop withdrawals, higher education student loan reform, and bringing American ingenuity to meet energy needs and disaster recovery plan.
First have to get in the appetizer, a little light wedge salad or Maryland crab cakes would be a nice lead in to the tough to stomach debt that many of America's college educated are now accruing. The national debt continues to grows, and students that are not ready to make the leap into the real world are applying for graduate schools. While specialty studies can help, they can then be too narrowed as individuals and when they do get the first real job in just out side of their specialty they may have lost the ability to adapt. Especially when that first job as a shift manager doesn't even cover the student loan interest payments on their student loans. Tack on other expenses of the real world, i.e. transportation, rent (even if living back with the parents), groceries, bad spending habits developed on care-free campuses and the American Graduate is stuck breaking bricks off their legs at the bottom of the pool while the rest of the world swims laps above us.
Ready for the main course Mr. President? Lets bring more of the steak and potatoes. Just a week ago you made the announcement in prime time, in front of the nation that it was time to make good on your promises of bringing troops home. Alright as Commander and Chief you have the right to make this call, and with in meetings with your joint chiefs of staff, and top Pentagon officials I'm inclined to believe the other headlines that your administration is going to let those on the ground make the call on which forces are ready to leave and which combat forces must stay and hold their lines. However, this is a chance for your administration to let actions speak louder than words and headlines. Bring home the troops you can yet don't boast numbers and their geographic relation in the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is easily taken by enemies of the United States as propaganda to boost they have beaten our armed services, and it allows them to reoccupy areas our service members have worked so hard to gain, maintain, and try to reform. Granted the cost of keeping large amounts of troops there would bankrupt America, the cost of using technology to keep terrorist at length. It's also one thing to keep them at distance when an ocean separates us, however to the vast amount of troops returning home their skill sets can still be applied at our boarders. With our economy still trying to recover, create jobs, and bring back more value to the dollar these brave men and woman would be flooding a job market that isn't ready for them yet. This isn't like the 1940's and 50's where Rosie Riveter just gave up the assembly line and stepped back into a Better Homes and Gardens kitchen. For one thing the assembly lines aren't there for the solid paycheck as they once were, and our Armed Forces members have a skill set they can apply to our boarders with Mexico, Canada, interstate commerce, travel, and infrastructure protection. It still allows them to dawn the uniform they were proud to serve wearing in foreign lands now bring the reality of their commitment to the vision of the neighbors around them.
Its amazing how heavy just a few ideas and suggestions can weigh on you. Yet there is still room for desert right, of course there is you play hoops and take care of yourself. Just stay open minded for a few more lines and see what good we could accomplish. The push for newer, cleaner, electric energy was a big part of the platform that put you in your current seat. So now lets look a head 10-20 years when your no longer in that seat, but you hope its in good shape especially if one of your daughters looks to follow in her father's footsteps. Starting in my own corner of the country, the might Missouri River is being poured out of Gavins Point Dam at 150,000 cubic square feet of water/second causing massive flooding. The cause of this massive snow falls in the Dakotas and upstream. Why more snow? More violent storm systems are being directly linked to our global warming. We are not going to stop nature, but we can prepare for it. Why not start initiatives to redirect flood waters when needed to win-win hydro electric damn systems. A system of mini-Hoover dams along the Missouri could supply massive amounts of clean energy though out the heartland. There are already win farm projects in place yet they could be connected to an electric rail system to make transportation easier especially in urban areas that haven't always had rail travel yet current infrastructure could support it.
Either I'm stuffed or I'm full of it, and need to go walk off and exercise this vent out of me. While I still have a slim chance to bring these ideas personally to President Barack Obama, at least I did my part of chewing the fat.
In the name of transparency, I did put down my ten bucks for a chance to meet the President. Why not, its only about half an hour salary for me, plus with looming chance to meet the leader of the free world, win the Powerball, or get hit by lighting I figure I'm due for one of the three. Plus like many American's I'm sure my thoughts are at least worth a dime of that ten dollars. So many topics to cover over three courses from Obama's recent announcement of troop withdrawals, higher education student loan reform, and bringing American ingenuity to meet energy needs and disaster recovery plan.
First have to get in the appetizer, a little light wedge salad or Maryland crab cakes would be a nice lead in to the tough to stomach debt that many of America's college educated are now accruing. The national debt continues to grows, and students that are not ready to make the leap into the real world are applying for graduate schools. While specialty studies can help, they can then be too narrowed as individuals and when they do get the first real job in just out side of their specialty they may have lost the ability to adapt. Especially when that first job as a shift manager doesn't even cover the student loan interest payments on their student loans. Tack on other expenses of the real world, i.e. transportation, rent (even if living back with the parents), groceries, bad spending habits developed on care-free campuses and the American Graduate is stuck breaking bricks off their legs at the bottom of the pool while the rest of the world swims laps above us.
Ready for the main course Mr. President? Lets bring more of the steak and potatoes. Just a week ago you made the announcement in prime time, in front of the nation that it was time to make good on your promises of bringing troops home. Alright as Commander and Chief you have the right to make this call, and with in meetings with your joint chiefs of staff, and top Pentagon officials I'm inclined to believe the other headlines that your administration is going to let those on the ground make the call on which forces are ready to leave and which combat forces must stay and hold their lines. However, this is a chance for your administration to let actions speak louder than words and headlines. Bring home the troops you can yet don't boast numbers and their geographic relation in the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is easily taken by enemies of the United States as propaganda to boost they have beaten our armed services, and it allows them to reoccupy areas our service members have worked so hard to gain, maintain, and try to reform. Granted the cost of keeping large amounts of troops there would bankrupt America, the cost of using technology to keep terrorist at length. It's also one thing to keep them at distance when an ocean separates us, however to the vast amount of troops returning home their skill sets can still be applied at our boarders. With our economy still trying to recover, create jobs, and bring back more value to the dollar these brave men and woman would be flooding a job market that isn't ready for them yet. This isn't like the 1940's and 50's where Rosie Riveter just gave up the assembly line and stepped back into a Better Homes and Gardens kitchen. For one thing the assembly lines aren't there for the solid paycheck as they once were, and our Armed Forces members have a skill set they can apply to our boarders with Mexico, Canada, interstate commerce, travel, and infrastructure protection. It still allows them to dawn the uniform they were proud to serve wearing in foreign lands now bring the reality of their commitment to the vision of the neighbors around them.
Its amazing how heavy just a few ideas and suggestions can weigh on you. Yet there is still room for desert right, of course there is you play hoops and take care of yourself. Just stay open minded for a few more lines and see what good we could accomplish. The push for newer, cleaner, electric energy was a big part of the platform that put you in your current seat. So now lets look a head 10-20 years when your no longer in that seat, but you hope its in good shape especially if one of your daughters looks to follow in her father's footsteps. Starting in my own corner of the country, the might Missouri River is being poured out of Gavins Point Dam at 150,000 cubic square feet of water/second causing massive flooding. The cause of this massive snow falls in the Dakotas and upstream. Why more snow? More violent storm systems are being directly linked to our global warming. We are not going to stop nature, but we can prepare for it. Why not start initiatives to redirect flood waters when needed to win-win hydro electric damn systems. A system of mini-Hoover dams along the Missouri could supply massive amounts of clean energy though out the heartland. There are already win farm projects in place yet they could be connected to an electric rail system to make transportation easier especially in urban areas that haven't always had rail travel yet current infrastructure could support it.
Either I'm stuffed or I'm full of it, and need to go walk off and exercise this vent out of me. While I still have a slim chance to bring these ideas personally to President Barack Obama, at least I did my part of chewing the fat.
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