Monday Morning S--t Storm

Holy balls the Fab Five 30 for 30 was out of this world. It literally had so many themes to it that I can't even tell what I'm thinking about right now. We make fun of ESPN all the time, but the 30 for 30 has been nothing short of outstanding.

Anyway, other than the actual basketball and the cultural impact, it showed how much money Michigan made off of these kids. The most revealing point was that prior to the Fab Five Michigan had 1.6 Million in Merchandise revenue. After their freshman year? 10.6 million. The merchandise sales always get me because they are never factored into the profits for athletic departments.

It seems like the most pertinent topic at this moment, with Cam Newton pay for play, and the tOSU merchandise situation coming out.

So, for the shit storm, should college athletes be able to make money off of their likeness? Should they be paid in general?

I don't know about paying athletes because that just opens up a whole can of worms, but I've really never had a problem with players selling their merchandise or even their likeness. If you look at tOSU somebody didn't want Terrell Pryor's jersey because it was a tOSU jersey, they wanted it because it was a TP tOSU jersey. That is, TP's play on the field made people want that. I also find it funny that if I buy a standard #2 tOSU jersey there is no name on the back, but if a buy a custom #2 with Pryor on the back I have to pay more money.

That's a real basic way to look at it, but we can hash it out in the comments.

Shit storm begin.

It's about time.

Yep. He knew it then, and he was right.

Reggie Bush was a phenomenal college player. He just wasn't the best college player that year. Vince Young won more games by his lonesome. Reggie Bush was more or less the icing on the cake for USC, like if you parked a Ferrari on an aircraft carrier. Sure it's pretty sweet, but all in all pretty superfluous.

Win a game for us, Vince.


The reason I say this (other than how true it is), is that I'm trying to get a sense of why the Heisman committee did this. Talking with Stovall, he calmed me down and made me think rationally.

USC always had this huge media focus that entire season. Remember the month-long fellatio session that ESPN put on, putting out poll after poll showing that America believed the 2005 Southern Cal team to be better than every other championship team ever? Man, that was silly.

So maybe the intense media focus that they basked in is to blame. Could it be that playing under a microscope contributed to Reggie getting stripped of his Heisman? Probably. The NCAA has a long history of hypocrisy and idiocy. They've been on a rampage as of late, and probably felt like in addition to going after entire programs, they probably should spank one individual, and he was the one that they thought of first. Because he was their darling little chipmunk, yes he was.

They said that he "tarnished the reputation of the Heisman trophy." Do they know who they've been giving that trophy to? Not everybody can be Tim Tebow, you know. I'm just assuming here, but I'm willing to bet boosters did something for Tebow. Just a thought.

But then again, maybe they realized they made a huge-ass mistake, and would do anything to make it right. That's probably it.

Play us off real classy-like, Vince.

Fight on USC

I hate to break up our little World Cupcakke but we need to address some issues in CFB.

I've written a couple posts about the clusterfuck that is CFB. I'll get to Big 12 Jenga in a little bit, but first let's cover what we know.

USC

Here is what I wrote last night when the NCAA sanctions were received by USC.

Look, I know everyone is excited about the World Cup, myself included, but we really need to address the shit that has been happening in the College Football world.

First thing I'll talk about is the impending sanctions facing USC. Finally after an investigation rivaling the Warren Commission the USC will release the findings/penalties either Thursday or Friday.

Given the allegations that Reggie Bush received an estimated $300,000 and a new house, I think it's safe to assume he'll retroactively lose his eligibility.

Now this really doesn't affect Bush other than the fact he'll most likely lose his Heisman Trophy.

For USC any ineligible players usually means vacated wins and most importantly the 2004 MNC.

Where it gets interesting is if the NCAA decides to go the Alabama route. Limiting scholarships wouldn't nescisarilly hurt the Trojans, but I'd be more worried about the loss of TV deals and post season bans. THAT could really F with an established program like USC with a brand new coach. But you know what? If anyone can lie and sleaze a pitch to recruits it's Lane Kiffin.

Well the sanctions came in late last night, Here is a response from L.A



HOOOOOLY SHIT

So let's see. Not only do they get the postseason ban, but they also lose 30 scholarships over a three year period, 10 per year.

30!?!?!?! I was thinking 3-5

Oh yeah, and vacated wins.

To put that into perspective, every DI team gets 85 scholarships. Depending on each teams situation (Unless they oversign....Looking at you Saban) This year they have 7 verbals. In previous years they had 20, 18, 19, 18 which, as you can assume, is pretty standard for any BCS school. In effect they'll be losing 8-10 guys per year.

The problem with this is that teams don't win games with the top 10% of guys, and you don't win with the bottom 10%. You win with the 80% in the middle, and this is precisely the group a significant scholarship limit will fuck in the ass.

Just ask Alabama and Miami.

Next problem is the postseason ban. Sure, you lose money, but it will also affect recruiting. As I mentioned earlier it's a tough sell telling a kid "Hey have you heard how all those other coaches told you how sweet bowl games are? Well we won't be doing that for your first two years here." But the biggest problem, and this will test Kiffin's douche level, with the two year ban USC juniors and Seniors can transfer and play the next season.

/Urban Boner

//Saban Boner

USC fans seem to be surprised, I can't fathom why. I guess they are used to mommy and Daddy giving them $296,000, Limo's, A house, and other free shit. But don't blame Reggie. Ok blame him, he comes off as a dumbass and huge asshole, but I'd like Forbes to do some type of study showing exactly how much he made your school. Oh and NCAAssholes don't act all high and mighty. Bush played in one of the greatest CFB games of all time, and USC gave you the highest rated game to date.

To be sure, USC didn't get taken out to the shed because Bush got so much money, it's because USC was aware of the whole situation. If it wasn't for that/self report after the 05 season I think we're looking at vacated wins, and some type of probation.

Final thing, I usually hate Tennessee but hopefully Smokey is howling Rocky Top in Knoxville tonight. Lane Kiffin has to be the dumbest, most egotistical coach in the universe. I mean EVERYONE was talking about this when he left Tennessee.

I'll be impressed if you keep that .363 winning percentage.

Asshole.

(not listed in the report, Leinart's free cases of Smirnoff Ice)

The NCAA has sex with their socks on

Here's the latest addition of the NC double assholes chronicles.

Two rulings coming out from the NCAA

1st players should get a doctor's clearance before resuming practice following a concussion.

Excellent.

This reaks of "no shit" but as a former member of the "I feel piss ass drunk right now, better not tell coach" crowd it is a step in the right direction.

But then we get this fucking gem.

"Taunting and prolonged individual acts have no place in our game, and our officials have generally handled these rules well," said former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, the committee chair. "This is just another step in maintaining our game's image and reflecting the ideals of the NCAA overall."

So now the NCAA is afraid of hurting the fragile little ego's of the players they knowingly inflate during recruiting, bowl week, and the various ESPN segments.

Most importantly we'll never see anything like this again.

The Science of Selling Yourself Short.

They say that madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Duke basketball has consistently recruited the most over-hyped Caucasians in the world that "play basketball the right way" (read: do whatever the hell the coach says). They're fundamentally sound, athletically acceptable, but nowhere near what they should be. The amateur basketball landscape has changed drastically in recent years, with more and more teams shelling out for one-and-done stars and surrounding them with phenomenal athletes.

How has Duke faired in this climate? In a word, poorly, and that's being polite. Several disappointing finishes in the tournament have created an air that the days of Cameron hegemony have passed. Some people lament this. Not me. I personally like athletic basketball, and hate seeing people like J.J. Reddick succeed at anything.

So here we are, at a crossroads of sorts. One would assume that the most celebrated coach in the current hoops world (and rightly so) would be able to read the changing climate and adapt accordingly.

Enter Ryan "Pooptooth" Kelly. What a shitbag this guy is, huh? He's the most heralded recruit that Duke has coming in this year, and man is he a snoozer. He's like a less athletic Josh McRoberts. He's fundamentally sound, I guess, but he is nowhere near an elite player. Fuck him. We're talking about one of the most storied programs in all of hoops, and this is who they're proud of? It is baffling. It's downright absurd. Why don't they go after some stud that can jump out of the gym but can't shoot? Why not go after a player with an entourage and tattoos? I get that K is a system coach, but he had to have learned during the Olympics that sometimes you have to go against your better instincts and bring in some folks with a little bit of street in them. A loose cannon here and there. Trust me, you'll be able to make them learn whatever you want them to.

How does K not remember the way Tyrus Thomas made Reddick look retarded? His big recruit a couple years ago, Paulus, is now going to play football for Syracuse! SHIT! What the fuck is wrong with these assholes? Have some goddamn respect for yourselves!

NC double A--holes

The NCAA strikes again.

I picked this up yesterday from Dr. Saturday. I agree with him on a lot of things, and this story is no exception.

Meet Jeremy Jarmon a 6'3 277 (286) defensive end from the University of Kentucky. Jeremy, however will not be able to play his senior because he bought and used an over the counter weight loss supplement. Awesome.


Now, rules are rules, and the NCAA/institutions do a pretty good job on explaining what you can and cannot take. Typically there are large lists, hell sometimes even pictures of stuff you can't take. Jeremy took it, and now he has to pay the price. But a whole season? Shit, In the NFL you can stick straight up andro in your ass and you'll only miss 6 games. Oh and only 4 games for HGH. MLB? 50 games first offense.

But here's what really gets me, In the NCAA you can smoke crack cocaine, get charged with assault, rape/beat a girl, steal shit, brandish firearms, sell drugs, and still miss maybe 3, 5 games max. But the second you take a weight loss pill, well you are ruining the amateur ideals of the NCAA. Gone for a season.

Way to go NCAA.