Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is back in the news again. In front of a former federal judge (neutral arbitrator), Rice was appealing his "indefinite" suspension from the NFL.
Basically, he wants to be reinstated immediately, while Commsh Roger Goodell and company apparently disagree. And this poses some interesting scenarios.
As we all know, Rice cold-cocked his then fiance, a month later wife in an elevator in Atlantic City. But the case had supposedly been settled long before that video came to light, courtesy of TMZ.
Originally, Rice had met with the league offices and received a two game suspension. Further, the prosecutors had the tape all along, but they struck a deal with Rice and his attornies. There would be no criminal prosecution. But then the plot thickened. When the elevator video went viral, the public was outraged, in no small part as to how the media zeroed in on one act in a sequence of events.
The NFL claimed it had never seen that video before, and when they finally did, they suspended Rice indefinitely, as mentioned above. Further, while Rice still maintains he told the league offices exactly what happened on that fateful day in their initial meeting, the NFL is now saying he was "ambiguous". Who to believe?
If the NFL was initially interested in finding out all the facts -- it's hard to believe their army of lawyers wouldn't have uncovered the elevator tape. The casino had it, the cops obviously had it, the prosecutors had it, and a run of the mill investigative reporter likely could have obtained a copy. But Goodell and his minions still maintain they asked for all "pertinent" information and/or evidence, didn't get it, and only saw it upon the release by TMZ. BTW, TMZ stands for "Thirty Mile Zone", which pretty much encompasses all the movie and celebrity action in and around Hollywood.
So according to the NFL, based in NYC, they remained out of the loop for months on an action involving one of their own players, which happened just across the border in Jersey, while some glitz tracking outfit way out in California was privy? Hmmm.
Let's not forget, Rice's current appeal has nothing to do with criminal culpability. Right or wrong, the prosecutors originally cut their deal, made their bed, and now they have to sleep in it. Double jeopardy laws prevent them from having another bite at the apple.
This is about whether Goodell and company had the right to revisit their original punishment on Rice and hand down a second, more severe penalty in light of the "new" evidence. Rice, his lawyers, and the Players Union will no doubt argue he is being punished twice for the same crime, mostly due to the public outrage the eventually leaked elevator video caused. Rice says he told the NFL about it in the first place.
On the other hand, there is the public outrage itself, and the NFL has become acutely sensitive as to how they are perceived. They want to make the politically correct masses happy, or at least less pissed, when things like this happen. They will continue to maintain they couldn't get the evidence they needed in the first place, so were later justified in mandating a harsher penalty when they finally became aware. Good luck with that one, Ms. Arbitrator. May the force be with you.
But here's the thing. Even if Rice wins his appeal, and is technically reinstated immediately by the NFL -- then what?
The Ravens cut him so he's a player without a team. Once a Pro-Bowl running back, and though still only 27, Rice's stats have steadily gone down in the last couple years. With their current corps of running backs, the Ravens rushing game is far ahead of where it was last year -- WITH Rice.
And even if reinstated, what team would take him? To do so would certainly provoke some serious discontent amongst a certain faction of a team's fans. The NFL, and most every team within it, have been steadily growing their female fan base. Turns out, girls are starting to get into football too. And OMG, they've got money to spend on such things. Imagine that. Just kidding, ladies. LOL
Given the politically correct times we now live in, various other incidents amongst athletes, and the constant barrage of those advocating "heightened awareness", bringing Rice on board, even for a bargain price, would be a PR nightmare for any club to explain to their fan base.
Personally, I wish Ray and his wife Janay the best. May their marriage be glorious and may they someday celebrate their golden anniversary. Live long, prosper, and multiply -- to a point. Rice is a good thing, but nobody wants to see it every day. Jerry, Uncle Ben, and that A-Roni bunch on the supermarket shelves get wearisome after a while -- not to mention Condoleezza.
But Ray Rice currently finds himself in the no-man's land of Pete Rose, A-Rod, and Lance Armstrong, though for differing reasons.
Whether or not he'll ever be given another shot remains to be seen.
Count me skeptical.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
MSU/OSU and the marbles
This Saturday night, Michigan State will host Ohio State in a crucial game for both teams.
Currently, both are 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten. Michigan State's only loss came early in the season @ Oregon, and the Ducks remain a consensus Top 4 team nationally.
Somewhat surprisingly, Ohio State's only loss came early in the season as well, but it was at home to an unranked Virginia Tech team -- and by two touchdowns. Ouch. Hence their fall in the rankings.
But all is not lost for either. Depending on the poll, MSU currently checks in somewhere around #7 or 8, and OSU roughly #13 or 14.
Since those early losses, both teams have posted eerily similar records. Each has had one close call (MSU hanging on at home against Nebraska, and OSU needing two overtimes to finally knock off Penn State on the road) but pretty well blistered the rest of the competition.
They also share the luxury of having relatively weak remaining schedules after this game, though OSU will likely be semi-tested in Minnesota the following week. Yet both are likely to "win out".
In other words, this game is pretty much for most of the marbles in the Big 10. If MSU loses at home to the Buckeyes (the Sparties are roughly a 3 point favorite), they can kiss whatever slim chance they had at making the national playoff good-bye. But if they happen to thump OSU by, say, 20 points, the pollsters will likely move them up a notch or two. Depending on what happens elsewhere in the next few weeks, particularly in the SEC, MSU still has a shot at the big dance.
Conversely, while an impressive win over MSU would likely bump OSU up into the Top Ten nationally, it's equally unlikely they would have the slimmest of chances of making the Final Four. As they say, it's not nice to fool with Mother Nature and, when it comes to the pollsters, it's REALLY not nice to get beat by 14 points at home by an unranked team.
Nevertheless, this game is a big deal to both teams. OSU has not been shy is saying they've been waiting for almost a year to avenge their only loss to another Big 10 team (in last year's conference championship game to MSU) in their last 20 games. Beating Michigan State would put the Buckeyes in the driver's seat for the Big 10 title, a Rose Bowl berth, and knock the Spartans not only out of national championship contention, but might also relegate them to a second-tier bowl game. That would be major revenge indeed. There's likely to be several high-profile one-loss teams at the end of the year across the country, and if MSU has two -- well-- do the math. Plus, besides MSU not exactly having achieved the status of "media darling", and the Big 10 being perceived as weak in the first place.......
So this Saturday night is pretty much it for MSU and OSU. The marbles, on national TV.
When it's over, one of them is gonna be movin' on up. A premier bowl awaits them. The other will certainly drop out of the Top 10, and might well drop out of the Top 15, with no way to make up ground in the remaining weeks. They'll try to sell their fans on how great it is to be shuffling off to the Tidy Bowl, or whatever, in January.
Yep, this Saturday night is a big deal. Yours truly hopes one or the other wins it convincingly. Because if it's a super close game, or even goes into overtime, two things will happen -- and both of them are bad.
It would send the talking sports heads into berserko, tera-byte warp drive spewing even MORE of their worthless stats, probabilities, and predictions.
Second, it would just get too damn complicated. And I'm a simple kind of guy. I don't need that aggravation.
Much easier if the final score is 40-0 either way. Then we'll know who's who.
Currently, both are 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten. Michigan State's only loss came early in the season @ Oregon, and the Ducks remain a consensus Top 4 team nationally.
Somewhat surprisingly, Ohio State's only loss came early in the season as well, but it was at home to an unranked Virginia Tech team -- and by two touchdowns. Ouch. Hence their fall in the rankings.
But all is not lost for either. Depending on the poll, MSU currently checks in somewhere around #7 or 8, and OSU roughly #13 or 14.
Since those early losses, both teams have posted eerily similar records. Each has had one close call (MSU hanging on at home against Nebraska, and OSU needing two overtimes to finally knock off Penn State on the road) but pretty well blistered the rest of the competition.
They also share the luxury of having relatively weak remaining schedules after this game, though OSU will likely be semi-tested in Minnesota the following week. Yet both are likely to "win out".
In other words, this game is pretty much for most of the marbles in the Big 10. If MSU loses at home to the Buckeyes (the Sparties are roughly a 3 point favorite), they can kiss whatever slim chance they had at making the national playoff good-bye. But if they happen to thump OSU by, say, 20 points, the pollsters will likely move them up a notch or two. Depending on what happens elsewhere in the next few weeks, particularly in the SEC, MSU still has a shot at the big dance.
Conversely, while an impressive win over MSU would likely bump OSU up into the Top Ten nationally, it's equally unlikely they would have the slimmest of chances of making the Final Four. As they say, it's not nice to fool with Mother Nature and, when it comes to the pollsters, it's REALLY not nice to get beat by 14 points at home by an unranked team.
Nevertheless, this game is a big deal to both teams. OSU has not been shy is saying they've been waiting for almost a year to avenge their only loss to another Big 10 team (in last year's conference championship game to MSU) in their last 20 games. Beating Michigan State would put the Buckeyes in the driver's seat for the Big 10 title, a Rose Bowl berth, and knock the Spartans not only out of national championship contention, but might also relegate them to a second-tier bowl game. That would be major revenge indeed. There's likely to be several high-profile one-loss teams at the end of the year across the country, and if MSU has two -- well-- do the math. Plus, besides MSU not exactly having achieved the status of "media darling", and the Big 10 being perceived as weak in the first place.......
So this Saturday night is pretty much it for MSU and OSU. The marbles, on national TV.
When it's over, one of them is gonna be movin' on up. A premier bowl awaits them. The other will certainly drop out of the Top 10, and might well drop out of the Top 15, with no way to make up ground in the remaining weeks. They'll try to sell their fans on how great it is to be shuffling off to the Tidy Bowl, or whatever, in January.
Yep, this Saturday night is a big deal. Yours truly hopes one or the other wins it convincingly. Because if it's a super close game, or even goes into overtime, two things will happen -- and both of them are bad.
It would send the talking sports heads into berserko, tera-byte warp drive spewing even MORE of their worthless stats, probabilities, and predictions.
Second, it would just get too damn complicated. And I'm a simple kind of guy. I don't need that aggravation.
Much easier if the final score is 40-0 either way. Then we'll know who's who.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
What could go wrong?
Dallas Cowboys' QB Tony Romo suffered two fractured vertebrae in his back during a recent game against the Washington Redskins. To date, he's barely able go gingerly practice. The Cowboys are headed to London to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.
The Jags are a woeful 1-8 with ZERO chance of making the playoffs. Their defensive line has nothing to lose. Might as well pin back their ears and attempt to crush the opposing QB every chance they get.
But the Cowboys say Romo might well start in the London game -- broken back and all.
What could possibly go wrong with that?
On a non-sports note, even highly trained medical personnel with protective gear have contracted the dreaded Ebola virus while working in western Africa. Now the US is sending a few thousand Marines that are clueless about such things into the "hot zone" to help out.
What could possibly go wrong with that?
NASCAR fans saw Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski make contact with Jeff Gordon's car during the closing laps of the most recent race in Texas. The former Wonder Boy was in contention for the win, and says he was slammed for no reason. His left rear tire got cut and he fell far back in the field, damaging his chances at another overall championship.
K-ski said he saw an opening and went for it. Any other driver would do the same, and an occasional "rub" goes with the territory.
After an ensuing fracas in the garage area, involving drivers and their crews, both appeared to be dinged up a bit. Good ole boys will be good ole boys.
In a post-race interview, Gordon all but guaranteed that Keselowski would get some payback at the next race in Phoenix.
But Jeff's still technically in the hunt for the championship. If he goes out of his way to wreck Brad, he might well damage his own car in the process. And NASCAR itself has already leveled some hefty fines, and issued stern warnings regarding any future on or off-track grudges. Both these guys are under the proverbial microscope, but a championship for huge bucks and the glory that comes with it remains in play, with only two races to go.
A lot of things can go wrong with that.
Idle thought: Roger Penske, racing and businessman extraordinaire, has always been associated with Chevrolet. He has/had Chevy dealerships, ran Chevy motors at Indy, and his massive fleet of move-it-yourself trucks are Chevies. So what's he doing putting Ford engines in his NASCAR entries these days?
Something's wrong with that.
And let's not forget his competitor Joe Gibbs. JG used to coach the Washington Redskins of the NATIONAL Football League, and is a deeply religious man. Old Joe doesn't miss many chances to drape himself with the Stars and Stripes. One might consider him an All-American kind of guy. So what's HE doing running Toyotas and their motors in NASCAR which, BTW, stands for NATIONAL Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing?
Something is even more wrong with that.
Can this be right? After so-called exhaustive research, it's been determined that the most sing-along song of all time was "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls? C'mon. They were wannabes at the height of their fame, which lasted about 15 minutes. If I remember right, the group consisted of Sporty Spice, Baby Spice, Scary Spice, Sloshed Spice, and Old Spice, though I could be slightly mistaken on that.
At any rate, call me old-fashioned or, for that matter, pretty much anything you want (I guarantee I've been called worse). But Wannabe as the most brain retentive song of all time?
Who did they poll? Valley girls?
Something is REALLY wrong with that.
For now, it's Mony, Mony by Billy Idol. You've likely seen the commercials. In fact, it's playing in the background right now on my TV. Never noticed what product they were advertising, but any song that can get skinheads, yuppies, school kids on a bus, a biker, and even my yorkies howling every time it plays, has got my vote.
I say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, not so great on lyrical content, but still pretty catchy.
And it beats the heck out of the Spice Girls or Ebola.
What could possibly go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong.......
The Jags are a woeful 1-8 with ZERO chance of making the playoffs. Their defensive line has nothing to lose. Might as well pin back their ears and attempt to crush the opposing QB every chance they get.
But the Cowboys say Romo might well start in the London game -- broken back and all.
What could possibly go wrong with that?
On a non-sports note, even highly trained medical personnel with protective gear have contracted the dreaded Ebola virus while working in western Africa. Now the US is sending a few thousand Marines that are clueless about such things into the "hot zone" to help out.
What could possibly go wrong with that?
NASCAR fans saw Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski make contact with Jeff Gordon's car during the closing laps of the most recent race in Texas. The former Wonder Boy was in contention for the win, and says he was slammed for no reason. His left rear tire got cut and he fell far back in the field, damaging his chances at another overall championship.
K-ski said he saw an opening and went for it. Any other driver would do the same, and an occasional "rub" goes with the territory.
After an ensuing fracas in the garage area, involving drivers and their crews, both appeared to be dinged up a bit. Good ole boys will be good ole boys.
In a post-race interview, Gordon all but guaranteed that Keselowski would get some payback at the next race in Phoenix.
But Jeff's still technically in the hunt for the championship. If he goes out of his way to wreck Brad, he might well damage his own car in the process. And NASCAR itself has already leveled some hefty fines, and issued stern warnings regarding any future on or off-track grudges. Both these guys are under the proverbial microscope, but a championship for huge bucks and the glory that comes with it remains in play, with only two races to go.
A lot of things can go wrong with that.
Idle thought: Roger Penske, racing and businessman extraordinaire, has always been associated with Chevrolet. He has/had Chevy dealerships, ran Chevy motors at Indy, and his massive fleet of move-it-yourself trucks are Chevies. So what's he doing putting Ford engines in his NASCAR entries these days?
Something's wrong with that.
And let's not forget his competitor Joe Gibbs. JG used to coach the Washington Redskins of the NATIONAL Football League, and is a deeply religious man. Old Joe doesn't miss many chances to drape himself with the Stars and Stripes. One might consider him an All-American kind of guy. So what's HE doing running Toyotas and their motors in NASCAR which, BTW, stands for NATIONAL Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing?
Something is even more wrong with that.
Can this be right? After so-called exhaustive research, it's been determined that the most sing-along song of all time was "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls? C'mon. They were wannabes at the height of their fame, which lasted about 15 minutes. If I remember right, the group consisted of Sporty Spice, Baby Spice, Scary Spice, Sloshed Spice, and Old Spice, though I could be slightly mistaken on that.
At any rate, call me old-fashioned or, for that matter, pretty much anything you want (I guarantee I've been called worse). But Wannabe as the most brain retentive song of all time?
Who did they poll? Valley girls?
Something is REALLY wrong with that.
For now, it's Mony, Mony by Billy Idol. You've likely seen the commercials. In fact, it's playing in the background right now on my TV. Never noticed what product they were advertising, but any song that can get skinheads, yuppies, school kids on a bus, a biker, and even my yorkies howling every time it plays, has got my vote.
I say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, not so great on lyrical content, but still pretty catchy.
And it beats the heck out of the Spice Girls or Ebola.
What could possibly go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong.......
Monday, November 3, 2014
Detroit and free agents
The Detroit Tigers have some serious decisions to make in this off season regarding their roster. It's possible, perhaps even probable they'll lose ace pitcher Max Scherzer and designated hitter Victor Martinez to free agency. Both had stellar years in 2014, and both will be looking to parlay that into multi-year gazillion dollar contracts starting in 2015. Aging outfielder Torii Hunter is also a free agent, may retire, and there's no guarantee the Tigers will even WANT him back even if he doesn't.
The Tigers' laundry list doesn't stop there. They need an every day center fielder, at least one more left handed bat with some pop in their line up and, oh my, the bullpen. They're the rabbit ears on top of a brand new 60 inch high def TV. Let's just say an upgrade in service is in order.
Yet while many names of replacement players continue to be bandied about, an underlying question nobody wants to talk about remains.
For a free agent to sign with Detroit, he has to WANT to come. And that's not necessarily a guarantee these days. While the Tigers have pulled off some blockbuster trades in the last few years to land star players (see Ian Kinsler, recently David Price, and even Scherzer a few years back -- though Mad Max was only considered a promising prospect at the time), they're not exactly known for landing true free agents. Like the Yankees, Bosox, Dodgers, etc. Has it been a matter of money? Likely not. Owner Mike Ilitch has proven himself to be no cheapskate when it comes to getting good players for his teams. Strategy? The jury's still out on that one.
Or could it be some players just don't want to come to Detroit? After all, the city itself isn't exactly a tropical paradise. Most major league players grew up in warm climates and, by their standards, it's cold in Detroit when the season starts, and before it ends. That's not even to mention the off-season. Do you think some guy from Florida, California, or the Dominican Republic would have the least desire to build or buy a home in the Detroit area so he can suffer through a few months of sub-freezing temperatures and 6-7 feet of snow?
Consider the Detroit Red Wings. Not long ago, most players around the league would have jumped at the chance to wear the Winged Wheel. Detroit was "Hockeytown" and definitely a preferred destination. The Stanley Cup was a possibility. Not any more. In fact, over the last couple years a few star free agents have taken less money from other teams than what the Wings offered them. That's a tacit slap in the face.
But let's get real. Walk a few blocks from Joe Louis Arena, where the Wings play, or even the Comerica Park home of the Tigers -- and one will find themself in a high crime-ridden urban war zone. Good grief, the city itself remains in bankruptcy, and continues to offer far more blight and outright danger than entertainment.
Free agents aren't the dumb jocks they used to be. Though the almighty big bucks remain the driving force, it's not the only aspect in play as to where they decide to sign. They have the means to scout these sort of things out before they commit to a city for the next several years.
The moral of the story? Just because there are players "available" that might plug the holes the Tigers will likely find themselves with doesn't guarantee those same players will have an interest in coming to Detroit.
For their local talking heads and scribes to assume otherwise is nothing more than hubris.
We'll see how it plays out.....
The Tigers' laundry list doesn't stop there. They need an every day center fielder, at least one more left handed bat with some pop in their line up and, oh my, the bullpen. They're the rabbit ears on top of a brand new 60 inch high def TV. Let's just say an upgrade in service is in order.
Yet while many names of replacement players continue to be bandied about, an underlying question nobody wants to talk about remains.
For a free agent to sign with Detroit, he has to WANT to come. And that's not necessarily a guarantee these days. While the Tigers have pulled off some blockbuster trades in the last few years to land star players (see Ian Kinsler, recently David Price, and even Scherzer a few years back -- though Mad Max was only considered a promising prospect at the time), they're not exactly known for landing true free agents. Like the Yankees, Bosox, Dodgers, etc. Has it been a matter of money? Likely not. Owner Mike Ilitch has proven himself to be no cheapskate when it comes to getting good players for his teams. Strategy? The jury's still out on that one.
Or could it be some players just don't want to come to Detroit? After all, the city itself isn't exactly a tropical paradise. Most major league players grew up in warm climates and, by their standards, it's cold in Detroit when the season starts, and before it ends. That's not even to mention the off-season. Do you think some guy from Florida, California, or the Dominican Republic would have the least desire to build or buy a home in the Detroit area so he can suffer through a few months of sub-freezing temperatures and 6-7 feet of snow?
Consider the Detroit Red Wings. Not long ago, most players around the league would have jumped at the chance to wear the Winged Wheel. Detroit was "Hockeytown" and definitely a preferred destination. The Stanley Cup was a possibility. Not any more. In fact, over the last couple years a few star free agents have taken less money from other teams than what the Wings offered them. That's a tacit slap in the face.
But let's get real. Walk a few blocks from Joe Louis Arena, where the Wings play, or even the Comerica Park home of the Tigers -- and one will find themself in a high crime-ridden urban war zone. Good grief, the city itself remains in bankruptcy, and continues to offer far more blight and outright danger than entertainment.
Free agents aren't the dumb jocks they used to be. Though the almighty big bucks remain the driving force, it's not the only aspect in play as to where they decide to sign. They have the means to scout these sort of things out before they commit to a city for the next several years.
The moral of the story? Just because there are players "available" that might plug the holes the Tigers will likely find themselves with doesn't guarantee those same players will have an interest in coming to Detroit.
For their local talking heads and scribes to assume otherwise is nothing more than hubris.
We'll see how it plays out.....
Sunday, November 2, 2014
C. J. Mosley. The REAL questions
Though the Detroit Lions tried to stay mum on why they sent defensive tackle C. J. Mosley back home from London before the Atlanta Falcons game, and suspended him for a couple games, the truth is apparently finally leaking out. At that, it's been soft pedaled as a "marijuana related issue".
Personally, though a non-partaker, yours truly has no problem with weed. And anybody that thinks it's not just a matter of time before it becomes legal across the board in the US is kidding themselves. That ball started rolling a few years ago, has steadily picked up momentum, and there's no stopping it. The question is not if, but when?
According to a recent report, Mosley got caught with some weed in his London hotel room. Further, it's been alleged he had disconnected the smoke alarm in that room. If true, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what was likely going on. He was smoking dope.
And that raises some interesting questions concerning the Mosley case that haven't even been asked yet, let alone answered.
Whether one advocates for or against legalized marijuana, it still remains quite illegal by Michigan law and, last time I looked, Detroit, where Mosley flew out of on his way to London, was still in Michigan. It's also illegal in all of the United Kingdom. And I'm also pretty sure London remains part of the UK, though the Brits have recently softened their stance on those found with small quantities. Usually, it's just confiscated and a warning given. Still, it's technically against the law.
So connect the dots. Unless Mosley landed at Heathrow and made a quick score on the street before he got to the team hotel, not too likely, he had weed in his possession when he got on the Lions' flight from Detroit to London. This is crossing international borders with an illegal substance. Sure, it's nit-picking, but how come the point hasn't been raised? If instead of being an NFL player, Mosley was one of those the authorities were looking to pin something -- ANYTHING on, he wouldn't have got a free flight back stateside. He'd be in sitting in a British jail, jammed up on a serious criminal charge.
Another question. If we can assume Mosley was "partaking" in that London hotel room -- then where are the NFL's drug police? So much has been made of steroids, human growth hormone, and other "goodies" over the last few years, that mandatory testing on a regular basis has become commonplace for almost every pro athlete. Let's not forget marijuana remains on the same taboo list. And traces of weed stay in one's system for several weeks. Are we to assume Mosley waited until he went all the way to London to get high for the first time? Please. Do you see something wrong with this picture?
Finally, even Mosley's two game "suspension" amounts to no such thing. It's a scam that nobody seems to have noticed. How?
OK, Mosley couldn't play against the Falcons in London. That's one game.
This week, the Lions had a bye. They didn't play anybody.
Next Sunday they host the Miami Dolphins and -- surprise -- Mosley is supposedly eligible to suit up and play in that game.
It may have been two calendar weeks, but the suspension was only one actual game. Not two, as advertised. To boot, players get paid with "game checks". Not counting injuries, players don't get an automatic paycheck every week or two throughout the year like most working folks. They get paid by the game. If they're suspended, they don't get a check. And bye weeks don't count.
Again, when it comes to weed, yours truly thinks it's much ado about something quite harmless. But as long as laws remain in place to the contrary, both in the US and abroad, and especially amongst pro athletes, then dammit -- they should be held accountable just like the fans that continue to pay their salaries would be.
What's somewhere between comical and outrageous is Mosley is appealing his "suspension". Hey, if they've got him dead-bang in his London hotel room with weed, and he disconnected the smoke detector to boot, and he's only going to lose one game check instead of two -- then this clown has a lot of nerve challenging what little slap on the wrist he got off with.
Given all the above, forget the one game penalty. What's the statute of limitations on felonious stupidity?
Personally, though a non-partaker, yours truly has no problem with weed. And anybody that thinks it's not just a matter of time before it becomes legal across the board in the US is kidding themselves. That ball started rolling a few years ago, has steadily picked up momentum, and there's no stopping it. The question is not if, but when?
According to a recent report, Mosley got caught with some weed in his London hotel room. Further, it's been alleged he had disconnected the smoke alarm in that room. If true, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what was likely going on. He was smoking dope.
And that raises some interesting questions concerning the Mosley case that haven't even been asked yet, let alone answered.
Whether one advocates for or against legalized marijuana, it still remains quite illegal by Michigan law and, last time I looked, Detroit, where Mosley flew out of on his way to London, was still in Michigan. It's also illegal in all of the United Kingdom. And I'm also pretty sure London remains part of the UK, though the Brits have recently softened their stance on those found with small quantities. Usually, it's just confiscated and a warning given. Still, it's technically against the law.
So connect the dots. Unless Mosley landed at Heathrow and made a quick score on the street before he got to the team hotel, not too likely, he had weed in his possession when he got on the Lions' flight from Detroit to London. This is crossing international borders with an illegal substance. Sure, it's nit-picking, but how come the point hasn't been raised? If instead of being an NFL player, Mosley was one of those the authorities were looking to pin something -- ANYTHING on, he wouldn't have got a free flight back stateside. He'd be in sitting in a British jail, jammed up on a serious criminal charge.
Another question. If we can assume Mosley was "partaking" in that London hotel room -- then where are the NFL's drug police? So much has been made of steroids, human growth hormone, and other "goodies" over the last few years, that mandatory testing on a regular basis has become commonplace for almost every pro athlete. Let's not forget marijuana remains on the same taboo list. And traces of weed stay in one's system for several weeks. Are we to assume Mosley waited until he went all the way to London to get high for the first time? Please. Do you see something wrong with this picture?
Finally, even Mosley's two game "suspension" amounts to no such thing. It's a scam that nobody seems to have noticed. How?
OK, Mosley couldn't play against the Falcons in London. That's one game.
This week, the Lions had a bye. They didn't play anybody.
Next Sunday they host the Miami Dolphins and -- surprise -- Mosley is supposedly eligible to suit up and play in that game.
It may have been two calendar weeks, but the suspension was only one actual game. Not two, as advertised. To boot, players get paid with "game checks". Not counting injuries, players don't get an automatic paycheck every week or two throughout the year like most working folks. They get paid by the game. If they're suspended, they don't get a check. And bye weeks don't count.
Again, when it comes to weed, yours truly thinks it's much ado about something quite harmless. But as long as laws remain in place to the contrary, both in the US and abroad, and especially amongst pro athletes, then dammit -- they should be held accountable just like the fans that continue to pay their salaries would be.
What's somewhere between comical and outrageous is Mosley is appealing his "suspension". Hey, if they've got him dead-bang in his London hotel room with weed, and he disconnected the smoke detector to boot, and he's only going to lose one game check instead of two -- then this clown has a lot of nerve challenging what little slap on the wrist he got off with.
Given all the above, forget the one game penalty. What's the statute of limitations on felonious stupidity?
Texas and Michigan. What's happening
The state of Texas sure had a lot of stuff going on earlier today. The Dallas Cowboys hosted the Arizona Cardinals, the Houston Texans welcomed the Philadelphia Eagles, and just down the road from Big D, a NASCAR race was going on.
Alas, the Cowboys were thumped by the Cardinals. After starting out the season a sterling 6-1, Da Boys have lost the last two at home to go 6-3, and things don't look exactly rosy in the future. Starting QB Tony Romo is out again with another back problem, and they play 5 of their next 7 on the road.
Surprisingly, or maybe not, Arizona stands at 7-1, with a whopping three game lead in the NFC West. Head coach Bruce Ariens and company have got it rolling. Could the Cardinals be the first team ever to play in a Super Bowl in their home stadium next February? Maybe.
Alas #2, the Houston Texans were throttled by the Philly Eagles.
Alas #3, in the NASCAR "chase" race, instead of a good ole boy, that tenderfoot Californy boy Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag.
So maybe it wasn't such a great day in Texas, after all. But at least the Lone Star bunch had things happening on their home turf.
In Michigan, on the other hand, today was a good day to rake leaves, because NOTHING was going on in big time sports.
After playing in jolly old England last Sunday, the Detroit Lions had a bye week. No Honolulu Blue and Silver crazies packing the local pubs.
Mercifully, the Detroit Pistons had a day off. They've played 3 games, lost them all, and pretty much remain a train wreck in the NBA. It's going to be another long year at the Palace in Auburn Hills. The only races that will happen in Michigan for the next few months is Pistons' fans racing for the exits in the fourth quarter when their team is getting blown out again.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings seem to be holding their own in the NHL, but they'd shuffled off to Buffalo for a game that started at 5 PM -- right smack dab in the middle of the Denver Broncos/New England Patriots game that was on national TV. In the Detroit area, the Wings/Sabres game was only available on an obscure cable channel. Gee, I wonder who won the TV ratings battle for that time slot?
And no word yet out of the Detroit Tigers' camp as to how the "brass" is going handle the free agent dilemma they find themselves in with a few of their own star players after getting swept out the playoffs in the first round last month. Too many guys will want max money, and there's not enough dough to satisfy them all. It's not easy being the Tigers' GM these days.
Alas, the Cowboys were thumped by the Cardinals. After starting out the season a sterling 6-1, Da Boys have lost the last two at home to go 6-3, and things don't look exactly rosy in the future. Starting QB Tony Romo is out again with another back problem, and they play 5 of their next 7 on the road.
Surprisingly, or maybe not, Arizona stands at 7-1, with a whopping three game lead in the NFC West. Head coach Bruce Ariens and company have got it rolling. Could the Cardinals be the first team ever to play in a Super Bowl in their home stadium next February? Maybe.
Alas #2, the Houston Texans were throttled by the Philly Eagles.
Alas #3, in the NASCAR "chase" race, instead of a good ole boy, that tenderfoot Californy boy Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag.
So maybe it wasn't such a great day in Texas, after all. But at least the Lone Star bunch had things happening on their home turf.
In Michigan, on the other hand, today was a good day to rake leaves, because NOTHING was going on in big time sports.
After playing in jolly old England last Sunday, the Detroit Lions had a bye week. No Honolulu Blue and Silver crazies packing the local pubs.
Mercifully, the Detroit Pistons had a day off. They've played 3 games, lost them all, and pretty much remain a train wreck in the NBA. It's going to be another long year at the Palace in Auburn Hills. The only races that will happen in Michigan for the next few months is Pistons' fans racing for the exits in the fourth quarter when their team is getting blown out again.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings seem to be holding their own in the NHL, but they'd shuffled off to Buffalo for a game that started at 5 PM -- right smack dab in the middle of the Denver Broncos/New England Patriots game that was on national TV. In the Detroit area, the Wings/Sabres game was only available on an obscure cable channel. Gee, I wonder who won the TV ratings battle for that time slot?
And no word yet out of the Detroit Tigers' camp as to how the "brass" is going handle the free agent dilemma they find themselves in with a few of their own star players after getting swept out the playoffs in the first round last month. Too many guys will want max money, and there's not enough dough to satisfy them all. It's not easy being the Tigers' GM these days.
Michigan State's problem
The MSU football Spartans are arguably as good as any team in the country. But they have a problem, actually a few of them, and there's not a whole heckuva lot they can do about it, except hope.
As we all know, only 4 teams will qualify for the national playoff at the end of this season.
Problem #1. MSU currently find themselves ranked #8. That means in the next month and a half or so, four teams ranked above them have to drop down in the rankings while the Spartans impress.
Problem #2. Another week has gone by and, though there were some interesting matchups (and close scores) involving the seven teams above them -- the rankings aren't likely to change much. Consider:
#1 Miss St. barely fended off Arkansas at home. The Razorbacks are 4-5 overall and 0-5 in their conference. Hardly an impressive victory -- but a win is a win.
#2 Flor St. had their hands full @ Louisville, but prevailed in the end.
#3 Auburn knocked off #4 Ole Miss @ Miss -- but barely -- 35-31. A Rebel receiver fumbled the ball on the one inch line as he was about to score what would have been the winning touchdown. But #3 knocking off #4 on the road in a close one might not do much damage to either team. Yes, Ole Miss might drop a spot or two, but likely remain above the Spartans. However, on the flip side, Ole Miss is now a 2 loss team, having lost @ LSU in another close one just last week. Should a 2 loss team from a superior conference remain ranked above a 1 loss team like MSU, arguably the best team in the (weak) Big 10? We'll see.
#4 Oregon blistered Stanford so the Ducks will remain in the Top 4. And remember, it was @ Oregon early in season when the Spartans got mauled in the fourth quarter to get handed their only defeat. That one poor quarter of play might well keep them out of the national championship hunt.
TCU, another team ranked ahead of the Spartans, barely squeaked by 31-30 @ at by-god West Virginny. But again, a win is a win, especially on the road.
And of course, Alabama lurks. They lost at Ole Miss and barely squeaked by the above mentioned Arkansas themselves.
In the next few weeks, there's going to be a bloodbath in the SEC. Between both Mississippi teams, Bama, LSU, and Auburn, a lot of games against each other still remain to be played. Plus the conference championship game.
If I compared the schedules correctly, given they currently all have at least one loss, it is impossible for more than one SEC team to finish the regular season with less than 2. There may well be a couple teams currently ranked above the Spartans that will wind up 3 losses.
Sure, the media and pollsters have long been infatuated with the SEC, and perhaps for good reason. After all, not counting Flor St. last year, one SEC team or another had captured the national championship for several years. And sure, in recent times, as "power" conferences go, the Big 10 has been regarded as being weak. But if Michigan State somehow finishes with only one loss -- how could the "committee" possibly justify overlooking them in favor of a team with 2, much less 3 losses?
Flor St. and Oregon are likely locks for the Final Four. Nobody's been mentioning Notre Dame, but they shouldn't be overlooked either. Their only loss was @ Flor St. and they came within a leprechaun's whisker of winning that game. If they win out, they'll definitely be in the hunt.
Problem #3. Realistically, Michigan State only has one chance left to impress the committee. Next Saturday, at home, when Ohio State visits. Since an improbable early loss to Virgina Tech, the Buckeyes have become quite the offensive juggernaut, averaging over 50 points per game in their last 6 outings. Michigan State's vaunted defense will have their hands full.
After that, while the SEC teams ranked above them will be slugging it out -- and strength of schedule matters -- the Spartans finish up with some weak sisters from the Big 10. Even if they beat them all 60-0, it's not likely to move them up in the polls. And the Big 10 conference championship game? MSU might well face Nebraska -- again. Unless it's super-lopsided -- not likely -- another win over the Cornhuskers won't parlay into an invite to the Big Dance either.
But first things first. The Spartans had a bye week to get ready for Ohio State. Whether that matters or not is debatable. They need to win this game, and convincingly. Then hope the in-fighting in the SEC works out to their advantage.
Look at it this way. If we can assume Flor St. and Oregon will be two of the invitees, and surely whoever comes out on top in the SEC will be going -- that only leaves one spot to compete for the national championship.
MSU's chances of getting it? Not good. Fair or not, that one bad fourth quarter in Oregon way back on Sept. 6 appears to have sealed their fate -- at least regarding national championship aspirations.
It's ironic in a way. Just last year, MSU won the Big 10 and went on to win the Rose Bowl. Normally this would be considered hugely successful for any Big 10 team. But under head coach Mark Dantonio, the Spartans have grown into a national power. Their expectations are higher. Just any old bowl, even the granddaddy in Pasadena, isn't good enough anymore.
But yours truly just doesn't see any way the Green can crack the Top 4 this year, especially when so many people in high places continue to give the Big 10 the Rodney Dangerfield treatment. Is it deserved? Overall, in comparison to other conferences, probably. Yet, despite how good they may be, that's the suite, or not so sweet accommodations Michigan State has to sleep in. Depending on how things work out elsewhere, they could move up a spot, maybe two, by the time the final poll comes out. Yet it doesn't matter if they move up three all the way to fifth. Only the Final Four as determined by the almighty committee will get a shot at glory.
And let's get real. Could Michigan State hang with the likes of Florida St., or whichever battle-hardened team(s) emerges from the SEC? Good grief, though they may have held their own for the better part of three quarters against Oregon, losing by a final score of 46-27 wasn't exactly a close call.
To MSU's credit, they've come leaps and bounds in the last few years from what they once were. They're now a perennial "contender" on the national stage. But the status of "elite" continues to elude them. Given the lack of quality competition offered by most of the 14 teams that constitute the Big 10 (go figure), the only way State can break through into the national limelight is by running the table from the first game, on through the conference championship. Teams elsewhere can get away with a single loss, though likely not by 19 points, and remain in contention. But in the Big 10, which is perceived as being weak anyway, there's no room for error.
The Sparties will go to a very respectable bowl game somewhere at the end of this season. The players, coaches, and fans will no doubt have a great time down south or out west. The university and athletic department will likely rake in millions. Hurray.
But they won't be playing for a national championship. Boo, hiss.
Maybe next year......
As we all know, only 4 teams will qualify for the national playoff at the end of this season.
Problem #1. MSU currently find themselves ranked #8. That means in the next month and a half or so, four teams ranked above them have to drop down in the rankings while the Spartans impress.
Problem #2. Another week has gone by and, though there were some interesting matchups (and close scores) involving the seven teams above them -- the rankings aren't likely to change much. Consider:
#1 Miss St. barely fended off Arkansas at home. The Razorbacks are 4-5 overall and 0-5 in their conference. Hardly an impressive victory -- but a win is a win.
#2 Flor St. had their hands full @ Louisville, but prevailed in the end.
#3 Auburn knocked off #4 Ole Miss @ Miss -- but barely -- 35-31. A Rebel receiver fumbled the ball on the one inch line as he was about to score what would have been the winning touchdown. But #3 knocking off #4 on the road in a close one might not do much damage to either team. Yes, Ole Miss might drop a spot or two, but likely remain above the Spartans. However, on the flip side, Ole Miss is now a 2 loss team, having lost @ LSU in another close one just last week. Should a 2 loss team from a superior conference remain ranked above a 1 loss team like MSU, arguably the best team in the (weak) Big 10? We'll see.
#4 Oregon blistered Stanford so the Ducks will remain in the Top 4. And remember, it was @ Oregon early in season when the Spartans got mauled in the fourth quarter to get handed their only defeat. That one poor quarter of play might well keep them out of the national championship hunt.
TCU, another team ranked ahead of the Spartans, barely squeaked by 31-30 @ at by-god West Virginny. But again, a win is a win, especially on the road.
And of course, Alabama lurks. They lost at Ole Miss and barely squeaked by the above mentioned Arkansas themselves.
In the next few weeks, there's going to be a bloodbath in the SEC. Between both Mississippi teams, Bama, LSU, and Auburn, a lot of games against each other still remain to be played. Plus the conference championship game.
If I compared the schedules correctly, given they currently all have at least one loss, it is impossible for more than one SEC team to finish the regular season with less than 2. There may well be a couple teams currently ranked above the Spartans that will wind up 3 losses.
Sure, the media and pollsters have long been infatuated with the SEC, and perhaps for good reason. After all, not counting Flor St. last year, one SEC team or another had captured the national championship for several years. And sure, in recent times, as "power" conferences go, the Big 10 has been regarded as being weak. But if Michigan State somehow finishes with only one loss -- how could the "committee" possibly justify overlooking them in favor of a team with 2, much less 3 losses?
Flor St. and Oregon are likely locks for the Final Four. Nobody's been mentioning Notre Dame, but they shouldn't be overlooked either. Their only loss was @ Flor St. and they came within a leprechaun's whisker of winning that game. If they win out, they'll definitely be in the hunt.
Problem #3. Realistically, Michigan State only has one chance left to impress the committee. Next Saturday, at home, when Ohio State visits. Since an improbable early loss to Virgina Tech, the Buckeyes have become quite the offensive juggernaut, averaging over 50 points per game in their last 6 outings. Michigan State's vaunted defense will have their hands full.
After that, while the SEC teams ranked above them will be slugging it out -- and strength of schedule matters -- the Spartans finish up with some weak sisters from the Big 10. Even if they beat them all 60-0, it's not likely to move them up in the polls. And the Big 10 conference championship game? MSU might well face Nebraska -- again. Unless it's super-lopsided -- not likely -- another win over the Cornhuskers won't parlay into an invite to the Big Dance either.
But first things first. The Spartans had a bye week to get ready for Ohio State. Whether that matters or not is debatable. They need to win this game, and convincingly. Then hope the in-fighting in the SEC works out to their advantage.
Look at it this way. If we can assume Flor St. and Oregon will be two of the invitees, and surely whoever comes out on top in the SEC will be going -- that only leaves one spot to compete for the national championship.
MSU's chances of getting it? Not good. Fair or not, that one bad fourth quarter in Oregon way back on Sept. 6 appears to have sealed their fate -- at least regarding national championship aspirations.
It's ironic in a way. Just last year, MSU won the Big 10 and went on to win the Rose Bowl. Normally this would be considered hugely successful for any Big 10 team. But under head coach Mark Dantonio, the Spartans have grown into a national power. Their expectations are higher. Just any old bowl, even the granddaddy in Pasadena, isn't good enough anymore.
But yours truly just doesn't see any way the Green can crack the Top 4 this year, especially when so many people in high places continue to give the Big 10 the Rodney Dangerfield treatment. Is it deserved? Overall, in comparison to other conferences, probably. Yet, despite how good they may be, that's the suite, or not so sweet accommodations Michigan State has to sleep in. Depending on how things work out elsewhere, they could move up a spot, maybe two, by the time the final poll comes out. Yet it doesn't matter if they move up three all the way to fifth. Only the Final Four as determined by the almighty committee will get a shot at glory.
And let's get real. Could Michigan State hang with the likes of Florida St., or whichever battle-hardened team(s) emerges from the SEC? Good grief, though they may have held their own for the better part of three quarters against Oregon, losing by a final score of 46-27 wasn't exactly a close call.
To MSU's credit, they've come leaps and bounds in the last few years from what they once were. They're now a perennial "contender" on the national stage. But the status of "elite" continues to elude them. Given the lack of quality competition offered by most of the 14 teams that constitute the Big 10 (go figure), the only way State can break through into the national limelight is by running the table from the first game, on through the conference championship. Teams elsewhere can get away with a single loss, though likely not by 19 points, and remain in contention. But in the Big 10, which is perceived as being weak anyway, there's no room for error.
The Sparties will go to a very respectable bowl game somewhere at the end of this season. The players, coaches, and fans will no doubt have a great time down south or out west. The university and athletic department will likely rake in millions. Hurray.
But they won't be playing for a national championship. Boo, hiss.
Maybe next year......
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