Tim Tebow Is Not My Role Model ……….. But Who Cares ………..?

Tim Tebow Is Not My Role Model ……….. But Who Cares ………..?

In all honesty the hype being poured over Gators’ quarterback Tim Tebow, though not entirely unwarranted. It is now placing an insurmountable pressure on the young player’s shoulders. The NFL draft geeks are already gauging the player’s attributes. And given his lackluster display in the Seniors’ Game, I wouldn’t at present put a great deal of store it. Asides from that, the game on appearance was about as competitive tiddly-winks . There was no real determination there from the seniors , other than to impress the convened NFL scouts and general managers who were in attendance. If anything , what warrants being looked at , is the players have handled themselves under pressure during their game time decision making on the field of play. That if anything ought to be the overall determining factor. Rather than assessing a player by his 40 yard dash time and his vertical leap. Oh by the way , less we forget there’s all too important ‘Wonderlic Test’ ? Where would the NFL scouts , GM’s and coaches be without that ?

Gators' player Tim Tebow (15) and his coach Urban Meyer discuss their options during a game. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Chris Dickson ...................

Now far be it for me to suggest that the amateur draft geeks out there aren’t entitled to their opinions. But trying to pick a player that’ll resonate with an NFL franchise and make them a contender . Well , in essence, it’s like picking a ‘penny stock’ and thinking that overnight it’ll become the next Berkshire Hathaway or Google stock that will go through the roof, in terms of its value. It’s a shot in the dark , that even the experts themselves aren’t completely sure of. But they too, try to convince us that they’re good at what they do. Here’s a caveat, when you have Mel Kiper Jr telling you that the likes of Ryan Leaf and Akili Smith will become future stars in the NFL. Then by all means look to see if Kiper has a shovel in his hands while he’s digging himself up from the knee high dung heap that surrounds him. Another reminder, at your risk don’t take or put much store in the advice being given to you by CNBC’s Jim Cramer. When a person of his alleged experience and success tells you that he failed to use due diligence while telling viewers to plow their life savings into AIG . Then you know his ass, also, has been sailing far too close to the wind for comfort !

While there has been a certain amount of justification concerning Tim Tebow as a player and the fact that he’s a profound risk taker. What one can’t argue against is that he’s a proven winner. His body of work over the entirety of his college career has proven that. A two time national championship winner, Heisman Trophy winner and twice placing in the top 5. Tebow’s career has been amongst the most illustrious in all of collegiate football. And he’s by far the most renowned and revered player in the Gators’ history. But those facts alone won’t be what he’ll be judged upon , come NFL Draft Day in early April. It will be upon his abilities as a player and whether or not he has the physical and mental attributes to take the next step at the professional level . Players with lesser talent than Tebow have succeeded in the NFL. While others with what can be best described as being prodigiously talented , failed to live up the perceived hype and failed miserably within the professional ranks of the NFL. Many are already beginning to cast Tebow in the latter category . And others believe that he has the genuine ability to make as a professional in the NFL. Some of his detractors believe that because he’s not your proto-typical NFL quarterback. Then he’s doomed to failure and it would be in his best interest to become a converted tight-end or or fullback . Tiim Tebow believes that he can make it in the league as a quarterback and it is, his intent, to prove the naysayers wrong.

One of the gripes against Tebow’s coach at Florida, Urban Meyer. It was the very fact that the coach and his ‘coaching staff’ have never developed and produced a college quarterback who’s proven to be a success in the NFL . It certainly hasn’t happened with former Utah Utes’ player Alex Smith . And the former Utes’ player’s struggles have been well chronicled since he was taken number one overall in the NFL Draft by the San Francisco49ers in 2005 (click on link to view in full). And for the team’s front office and coaching staff , it has to proven to be a financial and competitive disaster ! As to what this would suggest about Meyer as a coach and that of his staff in being unable to produce a quarterback of moderate talent ? It would suggest that his main priorities are with winning and not completely with the genuine development of the players’ talents that have been made available to him.

Courtesy of Jaguars.com

Jags need what the draft has

Pass-rushers abound

By Vic Ketchman , jaguars.com Senior Editor

General Manager Gene Smith shouldn’t have to leave the value line of his draft board to address the Jaguars’ needs in this year’s draft. That’s the early forecast as the team heads to Indianapolis for this week’s annual scouting combine.

“The strength is on the defensive side of the ball. The strength is the defensive line. It matches,” Smith said of the talent in this draft and the Jaguars’ needs, which appear to be greatest on the defensive side of the ball.

Specifically, the Jaguars need to improve their pass-rush, which produced a league-low and franchise-low 14 sacks last season. The good news is that this year’s draft class is loaded with pass-rush prospects.

“I think it’s a good group. You’ve got some 4-3 ends and some 3-4 outside linebackers, plus, you have some interior defensive linemen,” Smith said.

Defensive ends selected in the first round of this year’s draft might approach double figures. It’s a group that’s headed by edge pass-rushers Derrick Morgan of Georgia Tech and Jason Pierre-Paul of South Florida.

The Jaguars will have either the 10th or 11th overall pick, depending on a coin flip at the combine with the Denver Broncos. Morgan and Pierre-Paul would figure to be early candidates for the Jaguars but Smith confirmed to jaguars.com that he’d like to trade down and acquire an extra pick or picks, and the depth of the pass-rush crop would suggest that Smith could trade down and still get his man.

Florida’s Carlos Dunlap, USC’s Everson Griffen, Northwestern’s Corey Wootton and Mississippi’s Greg Hardy are top prospects, and South Florida’s George Selvie, Virginia Tech’s Jason Worilds, Arkansas State’s Alex Carrington and Murray State’s Austen Lane are intriguing down-the-line prospects, and the list doesn’t end there.

The list, in fact, is so deep and the Jaguars’ need is so great that Smith could find a pass-rusher at the top of his board on multiple occasions. Smith said he will remain firm in his commitment to drafting the best available player.

Will you stick to it, he was asked?

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And for Tebow , he now has to prove to his detractors that he’s more than capable of playing in the NFL and worthy of being a ‘first round’ daft pick. Most have him as a ‘mid to late second round’ pick. And that’s when measured against the other quarterbacks in the upcoming draft. Amongst his peers at the position are Sam Bradford , Colt McCoy , Tony Pike and Jimmy Clausen . For the pundits who feel that Clausen may well be the ‘pick of the litter’ in what has been suggested is a very talented bunch of quarterbacks. Think again ? He’s ‘good’ but he’s not that good ! The only thing that has made Clausen look impressive was the mere fact that he had Golden Tate , as a receiver. Beyond that his temperament is questionable, as are his leadership skills and the qualities he brings in terms of his demeanor. And less we forget that under former coach, Charlie Weis – Notre Dame was hardly thought of as a competitive footballing bastion , throughout his tenure with the program. Weis’ record bears this out, as does Clausen’s.

Hometown favorites, the Jacksonville Jaguars are thought to have Tebow on their radar as their number on pick in the first round. Commercially , it would make a great deal of sense but the team as a whole , is dire need of so much more than beyond that , of having the former Gators’ player, play in his home state. Jaguars’ owner Wayne Weaver is said to be greatly enamored with the player and his abilities. But when measured against his team’s greatest needs , it would prove to be more productive in using the pick more judiciously. Team GM , Gene Smith along with coach , Jack Del Rio and the coaching staff have a great deal of assessing to do , as to the team’s overall and most acute needs. And with the organization due to have the tenth pick in the first round , it will be interesting to see whether or not they follow the common thought process , that Tebow will indeed be their first choice in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft.

I’m neither a Gators’ fan or for that matter a Jaguars’ fans. However, it’d be nice to see some sort of competitive edge brought to the three professional NFL franchises within the state of Florida. Tim Tebow may well be the answer to the Jaguars’ prayers and then again it may not. He’s neither my role model but he’s damn well better than the likes of the so called can’t miss chances that we’d been bombarded with over the past few years at the quarterback position. In the end it will come down to the player’s desire to prove his detractors wrong and the environment where he’s placed in order that he might succeed. So lets see how things will actually unfold on the day for the player and the team who chooses to make him their first overall pick.

Alan Parkins aka tophatal ………………

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SWV brings you ‘Rain’

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I need someone to tickle my fancy ?

The rather delectable Bianca Gascoigne. Have fun while perusing the picture gallery. And remember, in order to appreciate the content in all of its glory. Just click unto each picture to view, up close and personal.

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Bianca Gascoigne , lingerie model and tv reality star in the UK.

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Hall of Famer Or Flamer ? Let’s Play The Game ………….

Hall of Famer Or Flamer ? Let’s Play The Game ……

In light of what we believe we know, and the sports’ writers believe that they know about the world of sports and the athletes who compete in their chosen endeavors. I propose the following in this regard, the ‘Hall of Fame’ is deemed the highest honor for any professional or amateur athlete once their career is over. And with their enshrinement and acknowledgement not only from amongst the fans but also from their peers and predecessors who were enshrined before them. They are rightly accorded a great deal of acclaim, as is their due.

As an avid sports fan I’ve watched a great deal of sports across the panacea , since I first emigrated here to the United States from England, some sixteen years ago. I’m an avid follower of the Spurs , Marlins and Patriots. When it comes to the NHL, well I’ve about as much interest for the sport as I would for swapping saliva with Rosie O’Donnell , in a moment of unadulterated and heated passion. That scenario my friends, will never happen, not even you were going to pay me a $ 1million. Six million and you might just peek my interest, for $10-$15 million I’d ‘knock the socks’ of the bi_ch ! But that’s a story for another day.

We can all agree can we not , that the three most popular professional teams sports are baseball , football and basketball ? All three sports are governed respectively by Major League Baseball (MLB), National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Wherein, the commissioners there are Bud Selig, Roger Goodell and David Stern. And though their sphere of influence in the decision making process that takes places with regard to the players that meet the criteria for enshrinement isn’t influential. You can be damn sure that they’re closely monitoring who gets that call for induction. For all three , image is everything and then it’s nothing. Five years after the formal announcement of a player’s retirement , they’re deemed to have met the criteria for enshrinement based upon their career. That being said who are the adjudicators for each of these esteemed sanctums ?

It’s an esteemed body of journalists within the field covering those various sports who make the nominations based upon a body of work we’re led to believe. Baseball has the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). And before I go on , why is it that when using the words esteemed and journalists in the same sentence I begin to feel somewhat nauseous ? Surely there has to be something wrong with the use of this adjective ? Esteemed journalists ? My God the planet earth must be is close to falling off its axis or we’re now closer the apocalypse of 2012 ? For sure enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame , a player’s career has to be one that has been at least a decade in tenure in terms of his playing time. And furtheremore, they have to attain a minimum of 75 % of the ballots cast to be ensured in enshrinement into the Hall. A steep task indeed for the borderline candidate.

For the NBA it is in the cities where franchises are constituted and the NBA journalists covering the sport , cast their ballots for the nominees in question. Over the years the candidates enshrined have been noteworthy and deserving of the accolade. But yet there is the feeling that the NBA enshrinement in some respects is the least noteworthy of them all. What are your thoughts on that ?

Joe wanted to get his ‘swerve on’ , if only Suzy had been more trusting and obliged him later ? Ah well it’s left to the likes of Steve Phillips and Harold Reynolds formerly of ESPN to show what real jack asses can be like , alongside Namath.

The candidates for the NFL have a similar format as that of the NBA and to the adjudication of the candidates. But in terms of longevity of a career. Well there , there have been exceptions , merely because of a player’s performances in specfic games or in part because of one or two memorably ouststanding moments in their careers. See Joe Namath and Lynn Swann, for that . Granted, for Namath , other than guaranteeing the Jets’s victory in Super Bowl III over Don Shula’s Baltimore Colts. Namath’s career beyond that one big moment of glory can be best described as being somewhat lackluster. But he sure knew how ‘to party hard’ and parlay that success to further that ‘Broadway Joe image’. And it served him well over the years , until insobriety caught up with him.

Here, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon discuss the infamous Namath incident involving ESPN on air reporter, Suzy Kolber . This took place on the ESPN television show ‘PTI (Pardon The Interruption) , of which Kornheiser and Wilbon are the show’s co-hosts.

Over the next few years , no doubt a number of prominent athletes within MLB, the NBA and NFL will end their careers and formally announce their retirements. Though rumor has it that is Brett Favre’s intention to play well into his late sixties . Albeit, that he’ll retired , un-retire several times over before coming to a decision that neither his teammates or the assistant coaches are prepared to continue assisting him in changing his Depends diapers. Not when there’s said to be running stool and urine deposited in the attire. Oh, to be the much beloved, Brett Favre. And it has to be said that potential candidates such as Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera , Johnny Damon, Randy Johnson, Vladimir Guerrero, Carlos Delgado, Omar Vizquel, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Nash , LaDainian Tomlinson, Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, Michael Westbrook, Terrell Owens, Clinton Portis , Ricky Williams, Kurt Warner, Junior Seau and Fred Taylor will either be looked upon favorably or they will not. I think more often than not, the adjudicators make this a matter of objectivity , rather than it being subjectivity. And far be it for me to suggest, many of them will no doubt have their own personal favorites amongst the nominees prior to the votes being cast. And in doing so will treat them far more favorably than others. It goes without saying , although we’ve never observed ‘the behind the scenes’ modus operandi as to how each body goes about assigning their votes and how the deliberations take place. Such is the secrecy, that when it’s all said and done you’d have thought this was a meeting of the ‘Conclave of Cardinals’ to decide upon who the next Pope will be.

Things haven't quite yet resorted to this when it comes to the Hall of Fame voting in either MLB, NBA or NFL Halls' of Fame . But who knows in the future it might. Vatican City , Vatican,. April 19th, 2005. White smoke is seen from the roof of the Sistine Chapel indicating that the College of Cardinals have elected a new Pope on April 19, 2005 in Vatican City. The 265th Pope will lead the world's 1 billion Catholics. picture appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Giuseppe Cacace .........................

With all of the controversy that has surrounded the game of baseball and the ‘steroid abuse issue’ , I can’t think in all honesty that any baseball candidate nominated for their voting can escape not being tarnished. And yes, that’ll include the likes of Jeter, Tom Glavine, ;Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Pedro Martinez and should I even dare to say it , Albert Pujols ? As remarkable as their careers have and seemingly untarnished by any major controversy stemming from the steroid abuse scandal. Even though they’ve been exemplary and outstanding performers. The dye was cast by the actions of such noted individuals as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa , Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez. All of whom found a way of bringing the game into disrepute with their admitted use of steroids or hiding behind the veiled cloak of privacy and privilege. And it certainly wasn’t helped by the sheer ignorance shown by MLB’s hierarchy,the commissioner, Bud Selig,the owners, the MLBPA (Players’ Union) and their utter contempt in addressing the issue head on to begin with. But what more ought the fans to have expect to begin with ? It’s not as if they’ve ever been upfront with the truth surrounding the scandal at all. !

Barry Bonds is he really the 'poster child' for the steroids' abuse scandal in baseball ? Or is he merely being used as a scape goat ? picture appears courtesy of the onion.com/article/ photo/ Spires @ copyrighted material ..... All rights reserved

Courtesy of theonion.com

Barry Bonds Took Steroids, Reports Everyone Who Has Ever Watched Baseball

Onion Sports

San Francisco – With the publication of a book detailing steroid use by San Francisco Giants superstar Barry Bonds, two San Francisco Chronicle reporters have corroborated the claims of Bonds’ steroid abuse made by every single person who has watched or even loosely followed the game of baseball over the past five years

In Game Of Shadows, an excerpt of which appeared in Sports Illustrated Wednesday, authors Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams claim that more than a dozen people close to Bonds had either been directly informed that Bonds was using banned substances or had in fact seen him taking the drugs with their own eyes. In addition to those witnesses, nearly 250 million other individuals nationwide had instantly realized that Bonds was using banned substances after observing his transformation from lanky speedster to hulking behemoth with their own eyes.

According to hundreds of thousands of reports coming out of every city in the U.S., Bonds’ steroid use has been widely reported and well-documented for years, with sports columnists, bloggers, people attending baseball games, memorabilia collectors, major ballpark popcorn and peanut vendors, groundskeepers, roommates, significant others, fathers-in-law, next-door neighbors, fellow fitness club members, bartenders, mailmen, coworkers, teachers, doormen, parking-lot attendants, fellow elevator passengers, Home Depot clerks, servicemen and women serving in Iraq, former baseball players, Congressmen, second-tier stand-up comics, Sports Illustrated’s Rick Reilly, and random passersby all having stated at some point in the last five years that Bonds was obviously taking some sort of performance-enhancing drugs.

Many of those eyewitnesses came forward following Wednesday’s revelation with their own accounts of Bonds’ seven-year history of steroid use.

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The mindset of the BBWAA and how they cast their votes might not only have to do with the performances of the players themselves and their statistics. But in large part, it may well come down to whether or not they’re viable as a nominee, solely based upon their character and whether or not in any way they were personally tarnished by allegations or their association with a known abuser. Would that immediately count out Derek Jeter ?

And while we’re still on the subject of baseball ,it’s now been the long held opinion that former disgraced star, Pete Rose, should now be enshrined in baseball’s Hall of Fame , in Cooperstown, New York. Now while I’m not a fan of Rose , I do now believe that he’s paid his debt for a poor error in judgement. Albeit, that when confronted he still continued to lie about his actions. The way I look at it, some of baseball’s biggest names that’ve been inducted aren’t without their flaws. Hell you’ve got inductees who are racial bigots, you’ve got philanderers, known alcoholics and quite possibly several more who’ve committed far worse deeds than Rose has been found guilty of. So why the continued hypocrisy of Bud Selig and the Baseball Writers’ Association (BBWAA)? Ah well they feel aggrieved that if Rose gets in, then they’ll look like bunch of fools ? They already are ! Many of the writers who are empaneled as adjudicators had their suspicions about rampant ‘steroid use’ within the game but failed to report it , and in some cases many simply chose not to. But what might be even more egregious, is their now sanctimonious act of piety .

Rose seen here giving an exclusive interview to ESPN Radio’s Graham Bensinger. Acts of contrition have to be sincere and not scripted and condescending.

Baseball they say, may well have the ethereal legacy when it comes to its history and that of its Hall of Fame. But I also believe that the NFL and NBA also has theirs ! And with both sports having a rich cultural history and legacy, I’d have to imagine that they’re in a far better position than that of Major League Baseball (MLB). Well , most certainly their images haven’t taken as many hits as that of baseball over the last decade. And their respective commissioners in
Roger Goodell , and his predecessor, Paul Tagliabue, of the NFL. They made sure that under their tenure that the NFL was a well governed and smoothly oiled machine. And from a business standpoint, that has been very much the case. The same can be said of David Stern and his custodianship of the NBA, as its commissioner. Though neither commissioner and their respective sports have been without their own litany of problems as it concerns the image of their game and of their players.

But it has been their willingness to act swiftly at times that has in some cases curtailed what might have been a monumental disaster image wise for both the NBA and the NFL , why their commissioners and their sport in general is so well respected. Of which the same cannot be said of Bud Selig and his handling of the labor dispute , the lockout and then the whole ‘steroids issue’ debacle. An adolescent child could well have handled the entire situation a whole lot better.

Now the question I’ll pose to you is which of the following athletes would you consider to be a viable candidate for their respective Hall of Fames ? I’ll place a list below of the names of these current and former athletes. And by all means take some time in assessing what you believe are their valid merits for gaining acceptance into the ‘Hall of Fame’. Also note you can choose to name some of the players that I’ve mentioned within this piece , controversy besides them or not . Just as long as you can articulate a valid argument behind your case for naming them .

1) Chris Webber Bio in part.

BACKGROUND

2005-06:
Thirteenth NBA season (Philadelphia) … In 75 games/starts, averaged 20.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.37 steals in 38.6 minutes per game … Shot 43.4 percent (617-1422 FG) from the field and 75.6 percent (263-348 FT) from the free-throw line … Had 38 double-doubles on the season to rank 7th in the NBA … Ranked eighth in the league in rebounds per game … Had 40 games (20-20) with 20 or more points and seven 30-point games (5-2) … Had 38 games (18-20) with 10-plus rebounds this season … Had 18 games with 12-plus, rebounds, eight games with 15-plus and two games with 20-plus … Had nine games with six-plus assists (7-2) … Recorded his ninth-career 20-point, 20-rebound game with 27 points and 21 rebounds, versus Minnesota (12/12)… Also had a career-high 18 defensive rebounds versus Minnesota (12/12) … Had 20 boards versus Denver (3/9)… Had a season-high nine assists at Memphis (3/12) … Set his Sixers career-high with 34 points at New York (3/31)… Tied a season-high with five steals at Atlanta (12/23)… Blocked a season-high four shots versus Washington (3/3) … Scored his 15,000th career-point versus Charlotte (11/4) … Scored his 16,000th point at Houston on Mar. 1 … Had his 400th career double-double versus New Orleans/Oklahoma City (11/21)… Missed seven games (5-2) this season, four (3-1) due to a low back strain (1/4, 1/9, 4/8 and 4/10), two (1-1) due to DND – Coach’s Decisions (4/18 – 4/19) and one (1-0) due to the and flu (2/25).
Pro Career:
Thirteen NBA seasons … In 761 games (759 starts) averaging 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds 4.4 assists, 1.50 blocks and 1.49 steals in 38.0 minutes per game … Shooting 48.0 percent (6888-14354 FG) from the field and 65.0 percent (2427-3734 FT) from the free-throw line for his career … Philadelphia is his fourth NBA team, after time with Golden State (1993-94), Washington (1994-98), and Sacramento (1999-2005)… Five-time NBA All-Star (1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)… Posted 51 points and 26 rebounds against Indiana (1/5/01)… Earned All-NBA first team honors in 2001; All-NBA second team honors in 1999, 2002, 2003; All-NBA third team honors in 2000… Named the 1994 NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game with the Warriors… In four NBA All-Star Games, averaged 7.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.00 spg and 19.0 mpg (DNP – sprained ankle in 2003)… Leading scorer (18 points) and rebounder (10 boards) for the ‘Phenoms’ team which won the first-ever Schick Rookie Game during the 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend (Minneapolis)… Voted to the NBA’s All-Interview Team in 2002-03, 2001-02 and 1999-00… Named Conference Player of the Month in December 2002 and January 2002… Named NBA Player of the Week eight times, including seven times with Sacramento (12/15/02, 1/16/00, 1/2/00, 4/25/99, 12/11/00, 1/22/01, 1/6/02) and once with Washington (4/20/97).

Click here to read further

2) Terrell Davies former Broncos’ standout running back. Bio in part

Denver Broncos

In 1995, newly-appointed Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan drafted Davis in the 6th Round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis entered training camp as the sixth string tailback and was a long shot to make the team. He managed to impress the Broncos coaching staff after his second pre-season game, most notably with a crushing hit as a member of special teams. Davis kept improving with each pre-season game and was promoted to starting running back for the season’s opening game.[1] With Davis at running back, the Broncos possessed the potent running attack that they had previously lacked. Davis started 14 games during the 1995 season, carrying the ball 237 times, averaging 4.7 yards per run, and scoring eight touchdowns. Davis finished his season with a total of 1,117 rushing yards, becoming the lowest drafted player to ever gain over 1,000 yards rushing in his rookie season.
In 1996, Davis signed a lucrative new five-year contract with the Broncos that was worth $6.8 million. That season, he rushed for a total of 1,538 yards and set a Denver Broncos record for rushing touchdowns with 13. The Broncos ended that season with a 13–3 record, tied with the Green Bay Packers for the best in the NFL that year.

In the Super Bowl, Davis rushed for 157 yards, caught 2 passes for 8 yards, and became the first player in Super Bowl history ever to score 3 rushing touchdowns. This performance earned him MVP honors despite having to sit out the second quarter due to a migraine, an affliction he has suffered with most of his life.
Davis’ 8 touchdowns in his three playoff games and the Super Bowl gave him a total of 48 points, the most ever scored in a single postseason. This record would stand until surpassed by kicker Adam Vinatieri’s 49 points in the 2006–07 postseason.

Click here to read further.

3) Roberto Alomar. Bio in part below.

Biography

Single…Is active in the community in his home country of Puerto Rico…Conducts free baseball clinics and provides equipment for his former little league and high school…Donated $252,000 toward research on the disease Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and as a result of his relationship with Umpire John Hirschbeck. ALD is a rare genetic disorder that attacks nerve cells in the brain… While in San Diego, he participated in the “Stay in School Campaign” volunteering as a guest speaker at many area schools, both English and Spanish-speaking…In Toronto, Roberto was a charter member of the Hugh MacMillan Foundation and hosted a celebrity golf tournament for four years to benefit the foundation…Raised $285,000 for the foundation which funds a hospital and school…In Toronto, he was also involved in the DARE program and filmed a PSA on the perils of drunk driving…With the Orioles, he donated over 2,000 tickets as part of the “Alomar All-Stars” program for children from non-profit, youth oriented organizations…With Cleveland teamed up with his brother, Sandy, and purchased 27 tickets (27 was the combination of their uniform numbers, #12 and #15) for every home date in 1999 for local charities.

Click here to read further.

4) Dennis Rodman

. Bio in part.

Background

Dennis Rodman had developed from a janitor who had never played organized basketball into arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history and one of the most recognized athletes in the world. Enigmatic and individualistic, Rodman has caught the public eye for his ever-changing hair color, tattoos and unorthodox lifestyle. Rodman’s achievements on the court are indisputable. A two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a member of two championship Pistons teams in Detroit and three title-winning Bulls teams in Chicago, he has led the league in rebounding for seven consecutive years despite standing only 6-8–Wilt Chamberlain is the only player to win more rebounding titles, 11. Rodman is one of the few players in basketball who can change the course of a game without taking a shot. Rodman, whose two sisters were All-American basketball players, didn’t play high school basketball and stood only 5-11 when he graduated. At age 20 he was working the graveyard shift at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport when he decided, after having grown eight inches since high school, that he would pursue basketball. He enrolled in Cooke County Junior College in Texas and later transferred to Southeastern Oklahoma State. In three seasons there, 1983-84 through 1985-86, he averaged 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds, led the NAIA in rebounding twice and registered a .637 field goal percentage. Still relatively obscure, Rodman lasted into the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft before being selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 27th overall pick

Click here to read further .

5) Kurt Warner. Though he’s still playing, there’s been a great deal said as to whether or not he’s a noteworthy candidate for the NFL Hall of Fame. What are your thoughts , if any on the matter ?

6) Steve Nash. Hall of Fame worthy or not ? OK, so he’s a two time NBA league MVP recipient . But does that in essence ‘make him’ a Hall of Famer ? Granted, he just might be the best player the Phoenix Suns have ever had. But they’ve struggled as a team to get the job done. And that in no large is not down to Nash but primarily down to the Suns’ hierarchy of their GM Steve Kerr and Suns’ owner Robert Sarver. Their insight into basketball personnel decision making is in line with Sarah Palin’s knowledge on US foreign policy, domestic issues, global and economic affairs. On appearance each might seem to be bright but in reality they just are not ! Need one say anymore on the matter ?

These are but six names that come to mind and I could well have added great many others to the six mentioned here , in my own personal list. But as we exchange comments on the subject , I may well add them as part of any response that I will be making. So for now, read the article , peruse the list of names, gather your thoughts and then respond with a comment , as to a case that can be made for your own personal choice and perhaps some of the names listed within this piece. Thanks in advance for your cooperation. And as always thank you for your continued support as it’s greatly appreciated !

Alan Parkins

NB: Originally formatted and printed within my own site tophatal’s blog Click here to read that and any other topics there that might be of interest to you.

The Rooney Rule

The Rooney Rule

Commendable as it appears to be, I now have to wonder whether or not the intentions behind this all, is well worth it. Named after famed Pittsburgh Steelers’ owner Dan Rooney. The so called ‘Rooney Rule’s‘ intent was set to see that minorities are given the chance to interview for vacant head coach’s positions within the NFL. And considering that the very first minority to be a coach in the NFL was Frederick Douglas ‘Fritz’ Pollard in the 1920’s. One has to wonder why it was necessary to have this rule installed as mandate for all teams within the NFL. But it was apparent that with the racial tone of the league, minorities weren’t being afforded the chance of advancement from beyond the playing field and unto the sidelines as coaches, much less the chance of becoming an owner at the league’s inception.

Frederick Douglas 'Fritz' Pollard , the first minority coach of an NFL team. Pollard is an inductee in the NFL Football Hall of Fame.

Minorities now make up 72% of the player personnel within the NFL and it appears to be generally acceptable within the league and to the fans. But how is it that the NFL while mandating for such a role, has essentially done little if anything to try and bring in a minority owner within its ranks ? By all accounts the lone occasion this attempted maneuver was made , due diligence was not taken by the league’s panel in their investigations. An an attempt was made by what we were informed was a prominent African American businessman , Reggie Fowler who was financially solvent. His attempt to purchase the Minnesota Vikings was met with a great deal of derision and skepticism. And it certainly didn’t help that this individual had the financial means but it was said could not provide the league with enough financial details for them to ensure that his ownership bid could be granted to become the league’s first and only prominent minority owner of an NFL franchise. In the end Fowler would become part of a consortium led by German businessman, Zygi Wilf, as the owner of the franchise. Wilf would become the principal partner in the ownership group of the Minnesota Vikings with a 60% stake in the organization. Fowler has a 20 % stake in the franchise, with the remaining 20 % split amongst the remaining partners of this limited partnership group. An owner in part but not a majority stake owner that would clarify the term “prominent ethnic owner” of an NFL franchise. While some facts are disputed as to Fowler’s supposed wealth , it appears from the outset that certain maneuvers were in place to deny him the success in an attempt to purchase the team, originally. As to who was behind this all , we will in fact never know. Suffice to say , that the image of the NFL was somewhat tarnished by the episode.

Washington Redskins’ General Manager Bruce Allen leaves after holding a press conference on the dismissal of Jim Zorn as Head Coach of the team. The press conference was held at Redskins’ Park the team’s headquarters and practice facility in Ashburn , Va, on 4th January 2010. picture appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Win McNamee ….

It wasn’t as if this investor was Robert L. ‘Bob’ Johnson, founder of BET and the prominent African American billionaire media mogul or famed NBA legend Magic Johnson. The latter of whom has branched out to become a commercial real estate mogul and business entrepreneur, with a believed estimated net worth approaching $750million. It appears that the NFL despite its image of being a charismatic and an all welcoming league.But as of yet the one vestige in showing the fans that minorities have finally arrived in terms of a majority ownership of a franchise, has yet to materialize or be realized.

San Diego, Ca,. January 3rd 2010. Kris Dielman (#68), Dennis Norman (#64), and Nick Hardwick (#61) of the San Diego Chargers enter the field against the Washington Redskins during the Washington Redskins v San Diego Chargers NFL Game on January 3, 2010 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 23-20. picture appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Doug Miraelle .......

Courtesy of Associated Press and Yahoo Sports

Redskins talking to coaches to replace fired Zorn

By Joseph White , AP Sports Writer

Ashburn, Va. (AP)—Jim Zorn was fired by the Washington Redskins early Monday, the first step in yet another team overhaul under owner Dan Snyder.

Zorn was informed of his dismissal shortly after the team returned to Redskins Park following Sunday’s season-ending 23-20 loss at San Diego.

“I just know that last place is not Redskins football,” general manager Bruce Allen said. “Last place two years in a row is not Redskins football.”

Zorn went 12-20 over two seasons, but he lost 18 of his past 24 games after a 6-2 start in 2008. The Redskins struggled early despite a weak schedule this season and finished 4-12, their worst record since 1994.

“No one in the organization is satisfied with our record over the last two years,” Snyder said in a statement released by the team, “and I am sure that Jim would concur with that statement. It has been painful for him, too. I certainly accept responsibility for mistakes that I have made. I am hopeful that our fans will accept my commitment and pledge to deliver a franchise that can compete in the NFC East every season.”

Zorn’s replacement will be Washington’s seventh coach since Snyder bought the team in 1999. Playing a role in the decision will be Allen, who was hired as the GM last month. Allen would not comment on former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, who is considered the favorite to get the job.

“We’re in the process of talking to people,” Allen said. “We have a good game plan of what we’re going to do.”

Neither Snyder nor Zorn were made available for comment.

Zorn’s dismissal had been expected for months. The front office stripped him of his play-calling duties in late October, and Snyder has interviewed assistant coach Jerry Gray for the job weeks ago, according to the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which monitors minority hiring in the NFL.

The new coach, Snyder and Allen will have a monumental task to rebuild a team with many roster deficiencies and major questions at offensive line, quarterback and running back.

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Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn looks on from the sideline against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on January 3, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Chargers defeated the Redskins 23-20. picture appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Jeff Gross ............

The NBA and MLB seems to have done quite nicely for themselves, with minorities coveting and obtaining a ‘seat up at the big house’ at the dining table. Where the owners can feast upon the billions of dollars that annually finds its way into the NFL coffers. This might on the face of it appear to be racially insensitive and motivated. But I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth as I feel it only proper at this juncture to let you know that for in spite of its facade. The hierarchy of the NFL may well be the best organized , financially sound and ran of the four major sports in North America. And that at the end of the day is in essence what the NFL is all about. Any bye product from it all in terms of entertainment and plaudits from the fans, media and populace in general, is merely further proof of the game’s popularity.

Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn, left, greeting team owner Dan Snyder before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, in Landover, Md. Zorn was fired by the Washington Redskins early Monday, Jan. 4, 2009, the first step in yet another team overhaul / Nick Wass .....

And while we’ve seen the success of Tony Dungy as the coach of the Indianapolis Colts, being the first African American NFL coach to win the Superbowl. And the ongoing success of his of successor, Jim Caldwell augurs well for the current situation. But other than Caldwell and Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there are no other African American coaches in the NFL. Furthermore, that situation is even hindered by the fact that assistant head coaches and coordinators aren’t always afforded the luxury of the required cursory interview as demanded by the league’s mandated policy. A team has to only say that they have a minority as a prospective candidate and essentially create the scenario that the process is being adhered to. An initial cursory interview may well be granted.

The Washington Redskins with a new general manager in place, with Bruce Allen now assuming the position formerly held by Vinny Cerrato. The Daniel Snyder owned team might just be the worst ran NFL franchise in the league at present. Their turnovers in coaches is line with consistency of the Oakland Raiders and their ‘revolving door policy’ when it comes to coaches. Success or lack of it thereof, seems to be the norm for both of these franchises. Jim Zorn is the current coach of the Redskins and the impending upheaval appears apparent that Zorn’s two year tenure as the coach seems about to come to an abrupt end.

Reggie Fowler, left, has agreed to buy the Minnesota Vikings from current owner Red McCombs, right. The deal, worth a reported $625 million. However, the deal fell through when the NFL panel entrusted to review the bid stated that Fowler's financial backing and finances wasn't all in place and met with their tacit test. The deal was torpedoed and Fowler would then become part of the consortium headed by Zygi Wilf that would be successful in their purchase of the team from then owner Red McCombs . picture appears courtesy of afp/reuters/ Paul Marshall .............. ,

Courtesy of NFL.com Wire reports

Zorn out after two seasons as Redskins’ coach; is Shanahan in ?

The Washington Redskins fired coach Jim Zorn early Monday, the first step in yet another team overhaul that appears likely to involve Mike Shanahan.

An unidentified official within the NFL informed The Associated Press that new Redskins general manager Bruce Allen talked to Shanahan by phone Monday, and league sources told NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora to expect an organizational overhaul by Thursday but maybe sooner. Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls in 14 seasons as the Denver Broncos’ coach, would take over as coach/team president and quickly bring in assistant coaches and front-office personnel.

Zorn was dismissed shortly after the team returned to Redskins Park following Sunday’s season-ending 23-20 loss at San Diego.

Zorn went 12-20 over two seasons, but he lost 18 of his last 24 games after a 6-2 start in 2008. The Redskins struggled early despite a weak schedule this season and finished 4-12, their worst record since 1994.

It was the second consecutive season that the Redskins finished in last place in the NFC East under Zorn.

Allen said in a news conference Monday that “last place is not Redskin football.” He also refused to speculate on who the next coach would be, but he repeatedly said that a “passion for football” would be a primary requirement. He added that “head coach in the NFL is the most demanding executive position in sports.”

Zorn’s replacement will be Washington’s seventh coach since Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999.

“This has been an extremely difficult season for our organization and for the fans,” Snyder said in a statement released by the team. “Bruce Allen spent many hours examining the football operations, and we are both determined to do whatever it takes to build a championship team. That process begins today

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They’ve eagerly pursued Mike Shanahan for the position. And after two initial interviews, it appears that Shanahan is the successor in waiting for the presumed vacancy. What might the most egregious maneuver in all of this has been the apparent move by the Redskins to interview one of their low tiered assistant coaches,Jerry Gray, assistant defensive coordinator, who happens to be an African American. Now if this is being done merely to adhere to the Rooney policy, instead of it being a valid interview for a viable candidate for the position. But it appears that this is nothing more than a ploy on the part of the Redskins. It remains to be seen whether or not the NFL hierarchy under Roger Goodell as the league’s commissioner will have anything at all to say about the situation. It will be very interesting to see whether or not they will watch with a great deal of close scrutiny as to whether or not the Washington Redskins will follow the league mandated policy. On the face of it, it looks as if the Redskins are following the policy. But if anything they are actually circumventing the policy by merely creating the appearance that the interviewee is a candidate for the position. And that if anything smacks of the insidious behavior expected of a franchise wherein the norm of segregation was said to be still in being from a coaching standpoint, albeit that the roster of the franchise is very much a diverse one in nature.

Jerry Gray, secondary's and assistant defensive coordinat of the Washington Redskins. Gray has been the lone minority candiate interviewed for the now vacant head coach's position. Former Broncos' head coach has twice been interviewed for the position , prior to the dismissal of Jim Zorn as head coach of the team. picture appears courtesy of TWP/ John McDonnell .....

Segregation in sports at the player personnel level is a thing of the past within the NFL. But from a coaching standpoint it looks likes it’s either at a standstill or about to indeed take a turn for the worse. But this situation just isn’t happening at the NFL level but also at the collegiate level. Of the 120 collegiate football positions at the Division 1 A level, there are less than a dozen coaches that are of African American origin or of any other minority for that matter. But at the collegiate level where the NCAA governs college athletics. There’s nothing that mandates the hiring policy when it comes to the hiring of a football coach. It’s not really so much of a dilemma that can’t be resolved. But for the NCAA it’s not something that is of an urgent priority for the organization or the various conferences. They’re not openly willing to discuss the situation and it appears neither are the NCAA. The Black Coaches Administrators (BCA) are the only ones who are pressing the colleges, the NCAA and NFL , on the issue of their hiring practices, as it concerns minorities at the college coaching level and amongst the professional ranks. And what success if any is almost mute on the part of the NCAA and how they view the situation.

Denver , October '06. Head coach Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos looks to call a play against the Baltimore Ravens during a cold rainy first quarter on October 9, 2006 at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. picture appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Brian Bahr .......

The aspirants for these positions more often than not, are qualified for those positions but even if they are not. How are they are going to know what qualities will be needed by them in order to make them better suited candidates ? Especially in the case where they’re being denied the opportunity to even interview for a vacant position. At the collegiate level there is no ‘Rooney Rule’ in place for the candidates seeking a vacant coach’s position. But this is something where questions are needed to be asked and answered concerning this very issue. As to whether or not we’ll never know what will be forthcoming in the terms of an answer remains to be seen. But somehow these question have to be posed and answered unequivocally. If only to allude to the fact that there is clear transparency when it comes to the hiring of minority coaches at the collegiate as well as at the NFL level of football.

The Rooney Rule was put in place for a reason but it appears that now the NFL may well be calling time on this particular mandate.. As to the NCAA, well they’ll just continue to march to the beat of their very own drum completely oblivious of the realities of the real world and how it exists ! With its immense power in terms of its governing of the collegiate athletics’ landscape, it goes unchallenged by the major conferences as well as the Federal Government. And the Federal Government at times, would rather chide the NCCA , rather than demand that the NCAA do what is right and morally acceptable.

NB This piece was originally produced within another forum within my own site. http://tophatal.wordpress.com/ . Click here to read that and any other article that might be of interest to you.

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Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave When It’s All Being Done In Order To Deceive

If you’re not with us then you’re most certainly against us ! That seems to be the message being sent that’s meant to be heard loud and clear by all business entities seeking licensing agreements with the NFL . And that’ll enable them to do business with the sport’s governing body .

The NFL logo , the long standing feeling is that the governing body of professional football . Is in part a sole business entity that represents the interests of the 32 teams that constitutes the makeup of the NFL and league. However at the crux of the hearing that will take place infront the US Supreme Court is whether or not the league is one or in part 32 separate business entities that makes up the league as a whole. Therein lies the argument being posed by American Needle, Inc. The judgement when rendered could cause have serious implications and ramifications for not only the league. But also for the whole landscape of professional and collegiate sports. And the way the very entities conduct business with their licensees.

It may well have escaped your notice of a legal action now taking place that’ll be heard by the Justices of the US Supreme Court . So much so that the very decision may well alter the landscape not just for the NFL. But also for the governing bodies of the other three major professional sports .

The Justices of the US Supreme Court who’ll be hearing oral arguments being presented to them by the NFL and American Needle Inc. picture appears courtesy of afp/photo/ Martin Jordan ……

And in essence what we have going on at present is a challenge to the very essence of what it is that we strive to stave off the excess that is essentially depriving another of conducting their business livelihood. The NFL having already won an argument in a lower court. It now looks to make sure that it has a water tight situation when it comes to dealing with all parties in pursuant of a marketing and licensing deal with the NFL as a business entity. It’s being solely from the aspect that it has an arbitrary right to state whom they may deem fit to produce and market any product that bears the NFL brand name and logo.

New England Pats’ shirt. That of Tom Brady quarterback of the team. It is in the field of apparel manufacturing and sales where there’s a great deal of money to be made. The revenue that’s created runs into a multi-billion dollar business each year for the licensees of the NFL. picture appears courtesy of sportsfanoutlet.com …. @ copyrighted material All rights reserved.

And at the crux of the matter is the challenge and the parties involved. On the one side you have the mighty Reebok International who’ve been deemed the defendants in a the joint action with the NFL and as a plaintiff you have American Needle, Inc.

Reebok logo. The company is a fully fledged subsidiary of the German sports apparel manufacturer Adidas AG . The company itself is the second largest sport’s apparel and product manufacturer in the world in terms of volume and revenues. Atop of the list is Beaverton, Oregon, based Nike Inc.

Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones seen inset here alongside the team’s coach Wade Phillips and Jones’ son Steve who’s also the GM and CEO of the Dallas Cowboys. Jones has gone out and negotiated his own marketing deals with separate entities outside the league’s jurisdiction when it comes to certain deals. picture appears courtesy of afp/ Martin Hodges …………

The plaintiff wishes to challenge the agreement between Reebok and the NFL when it comes to the said entity being the sole supplier of apparel to the consumer as well as that of all parties associated directly with the NFL. That being the 32 teams that make up the NFL as a professional business entity and sports franchisor.

American Needle Inc seeks to challenge the NFL’s sole exclusivity agreement with Reebok as to the production of sport’s apparel that’s sold to the teams that constitute the NFL as well products that are also marketed and sold to the consumer (public). Their’s is the belief that this agreement contravenes the Federal government’s anti-trust exemption when it comes to the league’s agreement. If they’re in-fact entering into agreement with Reebok as one entity or as dual entity in terms of the actions being brought about at their behest and that of the teams they’re said to represent.

It adds to the fact that teams have also been able to go out on their own and enter into agreement with not only apparel makers but a slew of different business entities to reproduce various items that are supposedly licensed properties of the teams and or the NFL. So clearly in large part here there seems to be a conflict of interests. Especially when it comes to the overall reasoning of the league and what they deem to be appropriate business conduct on their part.

Teams such as the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins have in part gone out and negotiated on their own behalf with regard to licensing agreements that’ve benefited themselves and the league jointly.

Whatever the outcome no longer can the NFL or any other governing body of professional sport. Much less collegiate sports think that they ride rough shod or even blind side a business by dictating completely who they will and will not consider to do business with. The essence after all is to have a competitive marketplace and not one that’s merely ran by vast corporate monoliths that eschew competition from others .

Washington Redskins’ owner Daniel Synder. A man who’s not averse to making and cutting deals that are of benefit to the Washington Redskins. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Richard Marshall …………..

The law we’re led to believe is meant to be impartial and as such meant to weigh the balances of justice . And those who hear the argruments being put forth have to adjudicate with the appropriate knowledge gleaned from the evidence presented. It’d would appear that all the NFL wants to do in this case is to set about dictating who it is prepared to conduct its business with . And that’s without taking into account the appropriate conduct deemed paramount between parties.

Apart from there now being members of Congress now willing to readdress the league’s antitrust exemption status. It can be said that there’s more at stake for both parties than most are quite prepared to acknowledge.

Well That Was The Weekend That Was

The death of Michael Jackson notwithstanding . It’d appear the sport’s world carried on in its usual customary way. Jackson’s death became headline news around the world . As is befitting that of a once powerful entertainment icon.

Myself on the other hand, I wasn’t overly concerned with his death. Because despite his many manifestations and the fact that the so called long awaited CD never amounted to much. His death if anything is a god-send to us all. Unfortunately however , we’ll now have to deal with the endless speculation as to the cause of his death. And until the coroner’s office carries out the autopsy , we’ll never really know the true cause of death.

Melanie Oudin (right) of the US shakes hands with Serbia's Jelena Jankovic , having just defeated the Serbian in three sets to make it into the fourth round of the women's singles tournament at Wimbledon. As Sunday was a rest day , play resumes bright and early on Monday morning. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Martha Hutchinson ..............

As Wimbledon proceeds into its second week. We’ve seen the rise of another American female teen sensation in the guise of seventeen year old Melanie Oudin, who defeated the sixth seed and former world #1 Jelana Jankovic 6-7(8-10),7-5,6-2, to make her way into the fourth round at Wimbledon in the women’s singles tournament. For Oudin this is her moment in the sportlight on the sport’s greatest stage. And anything garnered now from hereonin can only be considered a bonus for the young teen.

Serbia's Victor Troicki makes an athletic attempt dive to keep the ball in play and alive in the game against Britain's Andy Murray. Murray would go on to win the match in straight sets 6-2,6-3,6-4 , and make his way into the fourth round at Wimbledon. picture appears courtesy of afp/getty images/ Carl De Souza ..............

And as usual the expected names one’s accustomed to seeing have made it into the second week at Wimbledon. There’ve been one or two surprises and small upsets. But nothing as such that would indeed send a seismic shift across the sport.

Now if anything is we’re liable to see the men separated from the boys. And the girls separated from the women. As those who can legitimately lay claim to the title will now begin to make their presence felt over the ensuing rounds.

Joey Logano speaks with the convened press after his historic win of the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH,. Also in pictue is Tony Stewart and his crew chief Greg Zippadelli . picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Marcus Goodridge ...............

And the fans of NASCAR saw history being made when Joey Logano all of nineteen years of age became the sport’s youngest driver to win a Sprint Cup event. Logano won the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in a rain shortened race at Loudon, New Hampshire.

Though the race wasn’t without its moments . It can be said that with the inclement weather did put somewhat of a damper on a race that many may well have been looking forward to.

Kyle Busch (18) driver of the Interstate Batteries Toyota pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup series race the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 from the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, NH. picture appears courtesy of getty images/NASCAR / Jerry Markland ..................

For Dale Earnhardt Jr this proved to be something of a respite albeit that he finished outside the top ten with a thirteenth place finish. As to his postseason ambitions of making it to the Chase. His chances seem to be diminishing by the race . And for team boss Rick Hendrick whilst he’s still got implicit faith in Dale Jr, one has to question how much longer that this can really go on. As clearly with each passing moment you can clearly see that a great mistake was made in the letting go of Kyle Busch from the team to incorporate Earnardt within Hendrick Motorsports’ midst. Albeit that Earnhardt Jr may well be deemed of greater value in terms of the corporate brand imaging , popularity and the money that no doubt follows him in endorsements. But the facts are there for all to see ….nothing beats winning. And that’s something that Busch has become accustomed to doing since his departure from Hendricks Motorsports. His successor on the other hand has yet to win a Sprint Cup race for his team.

In baseball the AL East is very much the division we’d all believed it would be . The New York Yankees (43-32) are finding ways to win . Even though they’re having to play catchup with the Boston Red Sox (46-29) who lead their fierce and determined rivals by a mere three games. And slowly making up ground are last season’s winners of the AL pennant and the division the Tampa Bay Rays(42-35).

Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera comes to the mound in the eighth inning of the Subway Series game against the New York Mets played at Citi FIeld in Flushing , New York City, New York. Rivera would go on to record the 500th regular season save of his long and illustrious career in the Yankees' 4-2 triumph of the New York Mets. picture appears courtesy of getty images/Jim McIsaac .............

Such is the rivalry now being created between the trio that the drama as it unfolds warrants close scrutiny by the most knowledgeable of all fans. For if anything we’re liable to see the winner of the division become the prohibitive favorite to win the World Series outright.

Rivera is congratulated by Yankees' third base and bench coach Tony Pena after he nothces the Yankees' 4-2 triumph over the Mets at Citi Field , Flushing , New York,. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Jim McIsaac ...............

Of the three teams at present it may well be the Rays and the Red Sox who are playing the best at present. And rthat’d be based on the record of their last ten games respectively. With the Rays going (7-3) to a decidedly more (6-4) by the Red Sox. The Yankees have matched the Rays in that respect but when measured against who’ve they’ve been playing as of late in the moribund Subway Series against a woefully inept New York Mets’ team. You can understand my reasoning for not being too overly impressed with those particular results.

The Yankees have swept their crosstown neighbors in the season series and along the way their legendary closer Mariano Rivera was able to notch up his 500th regular season save in Major League Baseall. Quite an achievement for a player who’s well respected by his peers as well the fans across the game of baseball.

And whilst much of this is going on within the game. Nothing much has really changed by way of the way with which the game’s hierarchy still creates the facade that it’s on the right path as far as its steroid abuse program is concerned. While Manny Ramirez sits out his apparent 50 game suspension he’s still able to participate in games . Albeit that it’s at the minor league level. And as asinine as it appears there’s nothing at all the league can do about it. But then again these are the rules that we’re led to believe that the game has to abide by ? So when is a suspension not a suspension within the realms of Major League Baseball ? That’s something I for one feel that inquiring minds would really like to know.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter presents Brazil's captain Lucio (3) with the Confederations' Cup trophy after the Brazilian team's 3-2 ttriumph over the United States men's soccer team in the finals of the competition played in South Africa. picture appears courtesy of bongarts/ getty images/ Cristof Koepsel .................

Alas, the heartfelt story and dream that has yet to be fulfilled came to an abrupt end. The US men’s soccer team failed when they were asked to try and achieve the impossible. Having pulled off the upset victory over Spain the semi-finals of FIFA’s Confed Cup. The fell to the might of Brazil in a spirited display by the US team.

Clint Dempsey (8) , Charlie Davies (9) center and teammate Sacha Kjelstan of the US team are somewhat despondent after the team's 3-2 loss to Brazil in the Final of FIFA's Confederation Cup tournament held in South Africa. The country will also be the venue for next year's World Cup. picture appears courtesy of bongarts / getty images Cristof Koepsel ....................

The victory might’ve been never been doubt had they been able to hang on to the 2-0 lead they built up in the first half of the game. With millions watching at home and tens of thousands watching in the stands showing support for both teams. It has to be said that we may well have been seeing the beginnings of something new in terms of real support for the men’s national squad. Finally they’re gaining some recognition from the fans and not being merely thought of as an afterthought or side show.

Luis Fabiano (9) of Brazil scores the game tying goal in the finals of FIFA's Confederations Cup game played against the US team at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg , South Africa . picture appears bongarts / getty images/ Cristof Koepsel ..................

Were the US men’s team triumphant over their South American counterparts instead of succumbing to a heartfelt 3-2 loss . Then there might be still some room for thought . And the chance that this team is capable and on the right track of pursuing a legitimate thought that they could be considered a contender for next year’s World Cup.

The game’s showcase event will make a return to South Africa where the World Cup will be staged. However, the team ought to be commended for the spirited fight that they put up against Brazil at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg in front of a sold out crowd.

As to what can be contemplated here at home. Well one can only hope that the support that was forthcoming and shown for the team can be maintained. If only to give the team the full support needed as they pursue their quest of garnering a berth for next year’s World Cup to be held in South Africa. And in order to do that the team will have to become more resolute , poised but above all maintain a level of consistency that has been lacking in their game . And which has led to their demise more often that we care to acknowledge. If anything that has been the thing that has really let the US men’s national team down over the years.

So this was the weekend that was. Well it was most definitely as such as far as the sporting highlights were concerned. Was there anything that you felt as such was worthy of acknowledging as far as the sporting weekend was concerned ?

It Just Screams Idiocy

I’ve never been much of a hockey fan. As I could never get into the sport and having seen how naive and asinine both the hierarchy of the sport and players are !. It’s been of no surprise to me to see the sport fall from grace in the eyes of many.

The Stanley Cup trophy perhaps the most revered trophy of the four major sports in North America. It's certainly the one with the most illustrious history behind it all. picture appears courtesy ap/photo/ Doug MacLellan ...........

And though the recent Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings was thrilling and filled with excitement. It still doesn’t hide the fact that the sport is still in trouble. And it must’ve come as a surprise to many that there was an up tick in viewing for the Finals. It was a thrilling seven game series with the Penguins proving to be victorious. And to top it all Sid ‘The Kid’ Crosby , one of the fresh faces of the NHL had won a Stanley Cup trophy. He may well not be viewed as the best player in the NHL. With the viewpoint being that mantel belongs to Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman who at this moment has be overly cautious as to what has to be taking place concerning both the Coyotes and the Lightning. Albeit that it'd appear that the sale of the Montreal Canadiens went through smoothly . picture appears courtesy of getty images / Richard Carnhouser ............

What has been intriguing to me as of late is the tumultuous rumblings now going on within two franchises within the NHL itself. The franchises in question are the Phoenix Coyotes and the Tampa Bay Lightning . It’d appear that both of the franchises are either being mismanaged or the very fact that neither is in a financially stable position. Never mind the fact that the sport’s hierarchy has done as is humanly possible to rein in expenses and put in place a salary cap . That in ofitself hasn’t stop many of the teams resorting to their old ways. And that is to sign several of their big stars to financially exorbitant long term contracts.

And less we forget all of the salaries paid to the players in terms of this is guaranteed . Unlike in the NFL where the only money that’s guaranteed to a player is that of their signing bonus and roster bonus as an added incentive. Their salary in effect is pro-rated over the course of the contract wherein the signing bonus or upfront money is guaranteed.

With that in mind what’s now unfolding within both the Coyotes’ organization and that of the Lightning organization should be of great concern to the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. In particular that of the Coyotes whose situation and fate may well end up being decided within the Federal Court System. As for the Lightning their’s is a situation that has that of an overly ambitious partnership group where neither of the major partners has any previous experience in the ownership of professional sports franchise.

And whilst the present approach by Bettman may well be to watch from afar. I’m sure that he’s placing this all under close scrutiny within the hierarchy. If nothing else he has to have his own observers in place to make sure that nothing untoward is taking place that’d hurt the integrity of the sport and damage it further in the eyes of the public. It was bad enough having to see both the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the NHL show their intransigence which led to an enforced stoppage and lockout. It became a PR disaster and nightmare that they still haven’t yet recovered from.

Jim Balsillie Co Chief Executive and Co Founder of Research In Motion (RIM) , makers of the PDA device the Blackberry. Balsillie initially made a $200m bid for the Phoenix Coyotes. The bid was rejected and he's yet to decide whether or not he'll make a higher offer for the franchise whilst it remains within bankruptcy proceedings. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Anna Harris ..........

With that in mind what happens next within these two franchises may well yet prove to let us know whether or not the sport still has a long term viability as a going concern. The hits that it has taken has blunted the resolve of even the most ardent fans of the sport. And in this economic climate with rising unemployment , less revenues coming in via major corporate sponsors. And a downward trend in terms of viewership in all forms , in terms of its presentation on television and cable. The malaise of both the Lightning and Coyotes may leave the fans wondering if it’s in their best interest to still follow the sport.

The scenario is now being set whereby there are said to be two interested parties in now assuming control of the Phoenix Coyotes. With team in having filed for bankruptcy protection . It will be left to a judge to preside over who will end up owning the team. The two rival bidders who aim to assume control are Jim Balsillie and Jerry Reinsdorf. Balisillie as you may well be aware is the co-Chief Executice of Research In Motion (RIM), makers of the Blackberry. Reinsdorf as you may well be aware is the owner of both the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox. He made his fortune as in the real estate business. Albeit that it was somewhat under dubious means by taking advantage of a relativlely little known legal statute passed within the US Supreme Court. (Frank Lyon Co. v. United States)

And while we’re left to await the judge’s decision on the matter. The question one has to be asking is if Wayne Gretzky as one of the principal partners in the ownership of the Coyotes cannot make the franchise a going concern in Phoenix. Then how was it viewed as a viable maneuver to begin with in the first place ? And whilst no one would deem it appropriate to question the integrity of Gretzky. It has to be said that this may well be the one blot on his already stellar resume’ that he would no doubt like to see go away. Financially it may well have cost him far more than he’d bargained for . But mentally what can than this have done to his resolve ?

Wayne Gretzky, principal managing partner , co-owner and coach of the Phoenix Coyotes watches as his team plays the San Jose Sharks. The Coyotes are now in bankruptcy proceedings and now looking for a new owner. Likely bidders for the NHL franchise are Jerry Reinsdorf , owner of The Chicago Bulls (NBA) and White Sox (MLB). And the other potential bidder is Jim Balsillie the co-founder of Research In Motion (RIM Inc.,) Makers of the Blackberry . picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Bruce Bennett ..........

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s situation can be best described as having ‘too many Chiefs and not enough Indians’. Wherein the principal owners of the newly acquired franchise were merely Hollywood big wigs . Oren Koules, a tv and film producer and his partner Len Barrie came in made the splash that one’d only normally associate with the big league within Hollywood. Unfortunately no one within the Tampa Bay area really know who they were. Nor did they really give a damn.

Principal ownership partners Oren Koules (left) and Len Barrie speak with the locally convened press. After it has been formally announced that the two had purchased the franchise from former owner Bill Davidson. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Martin Owens …….

What has since transpired within the franchise has been there for all to see. The team’s GM Brian Lawton has been less than forthcoming when it comes to addressing a number of issues concerning the team and its personnel. So much so that many former favorites on the team were basically shown the door . All in order to cut costs and as they’d put it make the team more competitive and much younger in terms of the roster.

What they did achieve however, was to produce a last placed team within their division. And most certainly one of the worst performing franchises both on and off the ice last season. This all coming from a franchise that had won the Stanley Cup in thrilling fashion as recently as 2004 , defeating the Calgary Flames ,in seven games. And at the helm of it all was former coach John Tortorella.

Obviously with new ownership ,one at times expects to see sweeping changes being made. And this was decided upon by the partnership of Koules , Lawton and Barrie. In doing so they appointed former NHL player , coach turned tv hockey analyst Barry Melrose. And for Melrose this was an inauspicious start . But the fanfare that said to be Melrose appointment soon turned into an unbelievable nightmare. He couldn’t seem to communicate with the players on the team. And more often than his form of coaching amounted to throwing temper tantrums and the berating of the players. Inconceivably the idea of hiring Melrose to coach the team back fired . He was summarily dismissed by Lawton. Rick Tocchet was promoted and the team struggled to show any semblance of being competitive.

Melrose at the dais takes questions from the locally convened press after the offer to coach the Tampa Bay Lightning. Also in picture principal owners Len Barrie, Oren Koules (center) and minority stake owner Craig Sher. Melrose was summarily dismissed by GM Brian Lawton after an abysmal start to the season. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Stuart Mattheson ……

While much of this was happening what was not known was that the two principal partners in Koules and Barrie were having financial issues. As Barrie had yet to place the initial $5m that was said to be a down payment as his part of the deal in purchasing the franchise. It has seemingly led to an acrimonious feud between the two . That for all sense and purpose has been an embarrassment for the franchise as well the NHL, itself.

Tampa Bay Lightning GM Brian Lawton . picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Jim Russell ...............

And though the two in public appear to be the best of buddies. It’s said that behind closed doors the acrimony , name calling and internal turmoil still goes on. Furthermore with the franchise now seeing dwindling revenues there’s a great deal of speculation that they’re either prepared to listen to offers for the team’s best player in Vincent ‘Vinny’ Lecavalier. And for the die hard fans of this franchise it’d thought to be sacreligious were that to happen . He’s seen as the face of the franchise and one the last holdouts of from their Stanlely Cup winning roster.

Now while all of this plays out in the public domain. One can either choose to take sides. Or merely watch these events play themselves out. One thing is for sure the fans of both franchises are watching closely as the asinine idiocy that’s taking place plays itself out to reach finality about it. As to what it says about the game’s hierarchy and the sport itself . To me it screams nothing more than idiocy and stupidtity from the get go !

Seemingly there’s little intelligence amongst any of the owners within the sport. And there’s even less intelligence being shown by the game’s hierarchy !

Be Careful What You Wish For

Well over the weekend Miguel Cotto successfully defended his WBO welterweight title when he defeated Ghanaian, Joshua Clottey in a majority split decision. While the result bodes well for Cotto and his ambitions to unify the division with an undisputed champion. His performance whilst impressive may not be enough to sway the minds of many who feel that he ought to be the next opponent for the linear champion within the division. And that person is none other than Manny Pacquiao of the Phillipines.  

Miguel Cotto (left) of Puerto Rico looks to fend off a flurry punches from his challenger for his WBO welterweight title in Joshua Clottey. The bout took place at the bastion of boxing at the Madision Square Gardens Arena in New York City, New York. Picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Al Bello

Pacquaio is now widely acknowledged as the best pound for pound boxer in the world. And his destruction of boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya cemented that reputation to the maximum. And while no one doubts the capabilities of Cotto as a fighter. His stamina and the very fact that his chin has always been suspect comes into question. What became even more noticeable in this bout was the fact that he sustained a rather nasty cut in his bout with Clottey. Albeit that it came from an accidental head butt early in the bout. Luckily had it not gone to the to the judges when the injury was sustained then he may well have ended up losing the bout on a technicality. But such was his will to fight on that the bout became a do or die situation for the fighter.

A slightly bloodied Miguel Cotto is congratulated by his opponent Joshua Clottey after their hard fought WBO welterweight title bout held on Saturday night at Madison Square Gardens, New York City. Picture appears courtesy of Top Rank/ Chris Farina

And though the victory may well be looked upon as enough to quell a quiet storm. It should in no way signify that the fighter is ready to meet Pacquiao. If anything the noises being made are only being done as it’s the most viable and lucrative option for the fighter in terms of a really big payday. He may not wish to face someone such as Shane Mosley who defeated his most recent nemesis Antonio Margarito. And in all likelihood that’d be the desired bout that most would want to see . As the winner would be then deemed deserving of the chance to face Pacquiao.

Cotto connects to the head Clottey during the third round of their WBO welterweight title bout held at Madison Square Gardens in New York City. The event itself was held on National Puerto Rican Day. And it signified that the for the fourth consecutive year Cotto fought on that day . His legions of Puerto Rican compatriots came out in throngs to show their support for the fighter. Picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Al Bello

And now with their being renewed interest within the welterweight division with the impending unretirement of Floyd Mayweather Jr. It has to be said that all of the marquee names within the division are looking to have themselves affixed to a certain pecking order within the category. And that pecking order may have more to do with popularity rather than overall boxing ability in many respects with regard to a number of the aspirants.