Category: External Sports (Page 152 of 821)

      Morris shoots down report that Talib is out in Tampa

      May 5, 2011 /
      Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Raheem Morris talks to the coaches overhead during play against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on November 21, 2010. The Bucs defeated the 49ers 21-0. UPI/Terry Schmitt

      Bucs’ head coach Raheem Morris refuted a St. Petersburg Times report that the team has already decided to move on from troubled cornerback Aqib Talib.

      “Just to say that we’ve come out and made a decision about what’s going to happen with Aqib Talib’s future is completely false and bad information,” Morris said.

      “The NFL has a discipline policy for our players that is also part of the collective bargaining agreement. Discipline throughout the league and off-the-field issues are always handled through the league office,” Morris said. “There are extra things internally that we do. We might fine people, we may take money, we may sit you out of practice, we may sit you out of games, we may not allow you to participate in certain things.

      “The public stuff and the public knowledge is always handed down by the NFL, usually. Right now, the guy has not been judged. Once he gets judged, I’m sure the NFL, or whatever happens there, will step into play. Then we will step into play also.”

      This is smart on Morris’ part. You don’t want to even suggest that you’re going to cut a guy that hasn’t been proven guilty of anything (even though the odds are clearly stacked against Talib). If Morris and the Bucs did, they would be inviting the media and fans to scrutinize their decision-making.

      If or when Talib is found guilty and the NFL makes a decision on his future, then Morris and the Bucs can get involved. Until then, Morris has it right: We (Bucs) haven’t made a decision about anything regarding Aqib Talib.

      External Sports, NFL

      Justice Department to NCAA: Why is there no playoff system in football?

      May 5, 2011 /
      Auburn Tigers players celebrate as they run off the bench after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the NCAA BCS National Championship college football game in Glendale, Arizona, January 10, 2011. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      USA Today’s Jack Carey wrote an interesting piece on Thursday about how the Department of Justice has sent a letter to NCAA President Mark Emmert asking why the association does not have a major-college football playoff.

      Christine A. Varney, assistant attorney general in the Justice Departmen’s Antitrust Division, pointed out in the letter sent Tuesday that “serious questions” continue to arise as to whether the BCS system is consistent with federal antitrust laws.

      Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff recently said he plans an antitrust lawsuit against the BCS, and Varney wrote that 21 professors have requested the Justice Department conduct an investigation of the system.

      “Your views would be relevant in helping us to deternine the best course of action with regard to the BCS,” Varney wrote.

      NCAA spokesman Bob Williams, in a statement Wednesday, said that the association will respond when it receives the letter.

      “It should be noted that President Emmert consistently has said … that the NCAA is willing to help create a playoff format for Football Bowl Subdivision football if the FBS membership makes that decision,” he said.

      To date, the FBS schools have opted to stick with the bowl system.

      When I was reading the article, I was waiting for someone to mention how the Department of Justice should have bigger things to worry about than whether or not the NCAA has a playoff system. And then it came…

      Bill Hancock, the BCS executive director, has long expressed confidence that the BCS complies with the law. “With all that’s going on in the world right now and with national and state budgets being what they are, it seems like a waste of taxpayers’ money to have the government looking into how college football games are played,” he said.

      Matthew Sanderson, a founder of PlayoffPAC.com fired back with a good response:

      “I’m surprised the BCS still trots out that tired argument. This issue may not be of international importance, but this is a billion-dollar enterprise involving tax-exempt entities and institutions of higher learning.”

      Whether the Justice Department has bigger fish to fry is irrelevant now: The issue is on the their radar whether the NCAA disagrees or not. And if the NCAA is violating anti-trust laws, then maybe we’ll finally see a college football playoff some day.

      Or nothing will come of this and the crooked BCS will continue to rip everyone off.

      College Football, External Sports

      Nessler and Mayock hired to save dreadful Thursday night NFL Network broadcasts

      May 5, 2011 /

      Finally, the NFL Network has wised up when it comes to its Thursday night broadcasts.

      Assuming there’s even a season next year, Brad Nessler will do the play-by-play for the Thursday night broadcasts on the NFL Network, while Mike Mayock will be his color man. Nessler, who mostly does college football and basketball announcing, has an outstanding voice and brings some much-needed experience to the Thursday night booth. For those who follow the NFL draft coverage every year, you know Mayock knows his football (even though he can be a tad over-the-top at times).

      This is a major improvement over the brutal trio of Bob Papa, Joe Theismann and Matt Millen. Of course, those three weren’t quite as bad as Bryant Gumbel, but that’s like saying Rebecca Black’s studio version of the song “Friday” is better than her acoustic rendition. Either way, it’s crap. (Who was the genius at the NFL Network that thought of the brilliant idea to have Gumbel announce Thursday night games despite the fact that he had zero play-by-play experience? His I’m-better-than-all-of-you style was a perfect fit for blue-collar NFL fans.)

      The NFL Network is doing itself and fans a solid by going with Nessler and Mayock, although the revamping shouldn’t stop there. The network needs to take a long, hard look at its production quality as well, because for years the Thursday night broadcasts look like they’re being shot in a cave. It’s hard to explain, but the sound and lighting have never looked right to me, even on a HD screen. And they could play the games in a surround sound theatre and it would still sound muffled.

      That said, Nessler and Mayock are a great fix. Nice job, NFL Network. It’s too bad only 34 get the network…

      External Sports, NFL

      Jose Reyes to remain a Met…for now.

      May 5, 2011 /
      New York Mets batter Jose Reyes slides into third base with a triple against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York August 14, 2010. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

      Giants fans had to be excited when they woke up on Wednesday to a report from Mychael Urban of CSN Bay Area that said their club was interested in acquiring Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes. But they’ll have to temper that excitement for now.

      GM Brian Sabean told Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.com that he hasn’t spoken with his Mets’ counterpart Sandy Alderson since January. So as Rubin notes, Reyes may be a fit for San Francisco but a deal won’t be happening anytime soon.

      When Juan Uribe surprised the Giants’ brass last winter by signing with the rival Dodgers, Sabean became desperate to fill the hole at shortstop. So he overpaid (a habit he seems to enjoy) for Miguel Tejada, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract in November. It’s only been 30 games but the fans in San Francisco have already grown restless with Tejada’s shoddy play. He’s hitting just .204 with one home run and possesses a dismal .243 on base percentage. What’s worse is that his play in the infield has been just as bad. (His error at third base a few nights ago ruined what had been a great outing from youngster Madison Bumgarner.)

      But while fans may want Reyes in a Giants’ uniform today, the club isn’t going to give up on a $6.5 million offseason investment after only one month. Granted, it’s not the fans or the rest of the team’s fault that Sabean seemingly screwed the pooch by not only signing Tejada, but also overpaying for him as well. But those are the breaks.

      There are other factors to consider as well when it comes to trading for a guy like Reyes, which I outlined in this post yesterday. The bottom line is that Reyes isn’t going anywhere today, next week, or even a month from now. He’s probably going to be in New York until the trade deadline approaches in July. So for now, Giant fans will just have to hope that someone like Mark DeRosa (who has spent more time on the disabled list than on the field since Sabean signed him to a two-year deal last year) can save them from their Tejada misery.

      External Sports, MLB

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