'THE' Ohio State University

While this is old news, the sanctions from the NCAA were handed down rather quickly. One thing that I have often praised the NCAA for is being a stickler on the rules. Last year, it was learned that several football players were receiving improper benefits. Originally the school planned to suspend the players, which included star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, for the Sugar Bowl or the first six games of the upcoming season (2011 Football Season). When the players announced that they would be returning to school, they were officially suspended for future games in the 2011 season. This is the first big mistake that was made. The University had an opportunity to send a message that ethics and playing by the rules were more important than the wins. Soon thereafter it was discovered that Head Coach Jim Tressel had known about the allegations and did not report them to keep his players on the field. Wait, aren't head coaches supposed to be the example to the young student athletes? Not too surprisingly, Terrelle Pryor skipped his senior season and entered the NFL. Jim Tressel was asked to resign once his involvement in the issue was discovered. Now the NCAA places Ohio State under a one year postseason ban and scholarship reductions for the next few seasons. While I wished that the punishments would have been more severe, those that were involved are no longer part of 'The' Ohio State University. Coach Tressel has received sanctions that will effect future NCAA Coaching opportunities. The NFL had the guts to step up and suspend Pryor from his first six NFL games (likely reflecting the college ban that he would have served) even though they had no obligation to do so. While their are egregious acts performed at Penn State and Syracuse this year, the violations that Ohio State performed with the knowledge of their coach are still severe. To me the school is tainted, and will be for several years, with the mark of the cheater.

Tebow Mania

The Tebow Mania has hit an all-time high, prior to today's game with the New England Patriots. Bronco fans have already been comparing him to John Elway! Seriously! Elway took the Broncos to five Super Bowls, winning two of them. Tebow is in his second NFL Season, his first as a starter. Their six game winning streak was great, but it wasn't like they played the most difficult teams. Is Tebow a great athlete? Yes, but not on the same level as Elway. Most sports fans (not from Denver) are reasonable about the Tebow Mania. I saw this video last night that capitalized on the Tebow Mania. While I don't agree with the message, it is quite a funny video.

Skip Bayless should know that does other things than winning, including losing to one of the most dominant NFL teams today.

Sports movie of the month

Although this story focuses on a deeper meaning than sports, The Blindside is the featured movie of the month. This is another great that everyone should see. It is the story of Michael Oher and the charity of the Tuohy Family in Memphis, Tennessee. He is taken off of the streets and into one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Memphis. The Tuohy's never asked for anything in return. It is a great movie to watch at this time of the year and helps us all to know that we can make a difference in the world.

Dark day for College Basketball

While most of the country enjoyed the upset in Bloomington, Indiana, an even occurred in Cincinnati that will leave a dark mark on Cincinnati and Xavier for years to come. The Crosstown Shootout (as it is known in Cincinnati) was a great rivalry game that fans from both schools always looked forward too. The usual trash talk proceeded the game and a horrible fight broke out. It was so horrific of a fight that many players may be suspended and even dismissed from the team. Watch the video and see for yourselves what you think.
Clearly this is something that will effect the image of these teams for the rest of the season. The bright spot in this brawl was Coach Mick Cronin's postgame news conference. Their are some players that should receive severe punishments, if not dismissals from their teams. It will be interesting to see if the Coach will stick to his words in the coming days.

How the BCS got it wrong

Do to lack of a playoff system, only certain teams are allowed to play for a so called Championship. The season is treated like a playoff as they would have us believe. One loss can literally remove you from the title. The Alabama LSU rematch is a joke to say the least. They mat once during the season with LSU winning a close game. Now the two teams are set to play each other for the BCS National Championship (a championship only for BCS teams). Is LSU being punished for having a perfect regular season? They beat the Crimson Tide once already and now they have to do it again to win the BCS Championship? LSU must go 2-0 against Bama this year to win it all while it is okay for Bama to go 1-1 and be claimed Champions. It appears that more and more people are crying foul, even those that are fans of BCS schools. How big will the cry be if Alabama beats the Tigers in the rematch. Will LSU fans rise and join the outcry? With all due respect to the Crimson Tide, the Oklahoma State Cowboys deserve their chance to play LSU for the BCS Championship.

B(owl) C(rap) S(eries)

I have never been a fan of the Bowl Championship Series in determining a 'National Champion.' The whole process is unfair and exclusive to the biggest school with the most power, influence, and money. Thus the term BCS Buster was introduced when the University of Utah broke the mold and forced their way into the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. BCS Busters have earned a spot in 7 BCS Bowl games, including the one previously mentioned. Only once has one of these 'BCS Busters' lost to a team with automatic qualification into a BCS Bowl Game. While this system is seriously flawed, it has the opportunity of becoming extremely worse this weekend. On Friday night the UCLA Bruins will play in the inaugural Pac 12 Championship game against the Oregon Ducks. This game is a preface for the Rose Bowl (aka the Grand Daddy of Them All) one of the BCS Bowl Games. The Ducks have earned the right to play in this game, (and the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl) with only one in conference loss and and 10-2 overall record. The Bruins on the other hand have a much more dismal record. They have four losses in conference and a 6-6 overall record. If they beat the Ducks they will play the Big 10 Champion in the Rose Bowl on New Years Day. The Bruins aren't even ranked, but yet they have a win-or-take-all opportunity at the Rose Bowl. In all likelihood Houston will be the BCS Buster this year and Boise State will just miss out on playing in a premier bowl game. Boise State should be considered for this spot ahead of UCLA. The BSU Broncos are currently 7th in the BCS Standings and will probably be playing in a low tier bowl this year. Also, the BCS Championship Game is most likely going to feature a rematch of the Alabama-LSU game. While these two may be the two best in the country, Bama already had their shot. They lost to LSU at the beginning of the month and will probably be playing for the BCS Championship. LSU has to play in the SEC Championship this weekend while the Crimson Tide (Alabama) get the week off to rest and prepare for their rematch. How is this fair? Since when is the winning team essentially 'punished' for winning? They also have to play one more game before they clinch their spot in the big game. Because this system is so flawed, I refuse to call it a National Championship. Until all teams have a fair chance to play for the National Championship I can't call it a National Championship Game. I refer to this as the BCS National Championship or the BCS Championship Game, since only those teams in a BCS Conference have the opportunity to play in it.

Heavy Heart in Stillwater

As soon as I heard this story, I immediately reflected on the 'other' tragedy at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are no strangers to tragedy, as nearly eleven years ago they experienced a great tragedy. The Cowboy Basketball team lost two members as well as other staff when their plane was on its way home from a Colorado. Now tonight, the community is again morning another plane crash. This one claimed the lives of the women's basketball coach and one of his assistants. It is hard to imagine the pain of those in Stillwater. The great thing about sports is that it offers a great opportunity to mourn with many people, even those cheering for another team. The football team had a rough night against the Iowa State Cyclones, but their was great mourning in the stadium by the fans. May God Bless the families involved and I hope that the healing process can begin again in Stillwater.

Coach K

Mike Krzyzewski has been known by many for his successes at Duke. The headlines today focused on win 902, tying him with the infamous Bobby Knight. About a year and a half ago I read an wonderful article by Andy Katz (ESPN) about a lapel pin that Coach K wears to every game. The story is riveting and I recommend it to everyone. The story explains the deeper meaning of sports and why people as famous as Mike Krzyzewski are human as well. Whenever I think of Coach K I think of this story. In my opinion, this story shows how Coach K uses his position in the world to be super human and make a difference. It is a lengthy story, but well worth the time.

You can read the story here.

The Shadow Engulfs

If you read yesterday's post you will know what this is about. Joe Paterno announced earlier today that he would retire at the end of the season. I was devastated by this news as it was very apparent that he didn't get to choose his retirement date. It is also tragic that a legend has to be taken down so hard. As I said yesterday, the facts are all not out and that makes it difficult to come to conclusions on this matter. Tonight the Board of Trustees pushed back harder firing the University President as well as Coach Paterno. It was devastating news to hear. The man that took the sidelines every week for the past 46 seasons was fired by the university that used to love him (and he loved it in return). The worst part about this whole scandal is clearly those that were abused. That should not be discarded. Another tragedy is that this scandal will forever be on Paterno's record. It should always be remembered that the coach didn't commit these atrocious acts, but he will largely receive the blame for them. When he eventually passes away (hopefully not soon) this story will be retold about why was fired from Penn State. Gone are the glory days and forgotten is the infamous Coach Joe Pa.

The Shadow over Happy Valley

Once in awhile there is a legend that dwells among man. They accomplish great things and are a rare find. In sports, these figures are even more rare. One man has led a college football team for more than fifty years. Their have been conference and national championships. For more than half a century Joe Paterno has roamed the sidelines leading the Penn State Football team. He has been an example both on and off the field. His career winning percentage is 74.6% (which is phenomenal if you didn't know). Last Saturday a huge scar was scratched into Coach Paterno's name, fame, and legacy. Former Defensive Coordinator, Jerry Sandusky was arrested on numerous counts revolving around sexual abuse of minors. Some of these acts took place on the Penn State Campus, with a few possibly occurring on the premises of the football facilities. Paterno was informed of the misconduct that occurred and reported it to the Penn State Athletic Director. All of these are just claims at this point and shouldn't be viewed as factual since the legal process hasn't yet taken its course. Many people have questioned if Paterno did enough to prevent Sandusky from abusing more children. These claims have also led to many asking that Paterno step down as head football coach. I am not taking a position either way about Paterno stepping down. We don't yet know the facts that only Paterno knows. What I am saying is how very devastating the whole situation is. Paterno was seen as a trusted person and devious people are attracted to trustworthy people. Sexual Abuse has no place in the sports world (I hope that I make it clear that it has NO place in the sports world). It is completely unfortunate that this has happened under Paterno's tenure. I hope that no matter the outcome of a possible resignation (Paterno) and conviction (Sandusky) that it will be for the right reasons.

Sports movie of the month

I thought it would be fun to share some favorite sports movies and books. The movie to start the list is "We Are Marshall." This is one of the greatest sports movies that I have ever seen. This is a movie that everyone should see. It focuses on the aftermath of the plane crash that many people thought would end the Marshall University Football Program. The story talks about the healing of teammates, families, and the community of Huntington, West Virginia through the continuation of the football program. "We Are Marshall" focuses on the lessons that we all can learn from sports and to remember that it isn't all about winning and losing. It is simply one of the greatest stories in sports history and one of the best movies of all time. Here is a quick taste to help you make the right decision and watch this one ASAP.

First Official Day of the Lockout

As many of you may have heard, the NBA is in a lockout. Many that do not follow sports closely wonder what a lockout is and why it is happening. A lockout is a business tactic in which the owners physically lock the players out of there workplace. The actual definition given by Webster is "the withholding of employment by an employer and the whole or partial closing of the business establishment in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees." In other words, the lockout is not a player strike. The owners start the lockout as a result of an expired Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The CBA is a formal and legal agreement between all of the players and all of the owners. They hammer out an agreement on how the money will be split, the length of contracts, and other crucial business elements. The previous CBA gave 57% of the Basketball Related Income (BRI) to the players and 43% to the owners. Currently the players have offered to drop to a 52-48 split, basically a 5% pay cut; the owners are demanding a 50-50 split. Lets just time out here for just a second. Imagine in your profession your boss announces that he wants you to take a 7% pay cut. Therefore, if you were making $100,000 per year, your boss is now announcing that you will make $93,000 next year. How many of you would go for that? You instead decide to have negotiations with your boss on this issue. You agree to take a 5% cut, understanding that the economy is bad and businesses do lose money from time to time. After making several concessions, your boss brings the issue of salary back to the surface. He still demands the 7% cut in pay? This situation is very similar to what the NBA is going through right now. Yes, the players do make a lot of money. Yes, they are in a business that generates a lot of money. All things put aside, this is still their job. These owners typically own several businesses and should know how to forecast the business future. If they want that 7% gap closed, they shouldn't have let it be that far below. While this may sound like I am defending the players, I kind of am; however, the real losers of the situation are those that depend on the season for their livelihoods. Many jobs will be lost as ticket takers, parking attendants, and others that have a job directly impacted with the season won't be going to work this year.

What a game

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge Baseball fan. I do love the playoffs and their isn't too many things more American than the World Series. Thus, when I got home tonight I was sure the game would be over and I would have to settle for the Postgame Show. Much to my surprise, it was the top of the Ninth Inning and the Rangers were up 7-5. I always love an exciting finish and this one definitely didn't disappoint. With runners on first and second, two outs, two strikes, David Freese knocks the ball deep into outfield. Two runners score and the inning ends with the next batter. In the top of the Ninth, Josh Hamilton hits a Home Run with a man on first to a 9-7 lead. I was sure that was the end for the Cardinals. Nearly the same situation in the Tenth Inning as the ninth, except that the Cardinals had already scored a run. Lance Bergman is down to his last strike when he knocks one to the outfield and ties the game back up at 9-9. The pressure returns to the Rangers dugout and they can not answer. Who comes to bat for the Cardinals in the bottom of the Eleventh Inning? David Freese of course. This time he leaves no doubt knocking it ball over the centerfield wall and guaranteeing Game Seven tomorrow night! Thank you David Freese, Josh Hamilton, and Lance Bergman for making it a great end of the game. What a finish, one that I won't soon forget.

Top Story of the Week

While I do love and follow most sports, auto racing has never been a favorite of mine. I do know how some of it works. No matter how much I do or don't know about it, the racing world took a tough loss this past weekend. Dan Wheldon was killed on the racetrack in Las Vegas when his car went airborne, smashed into the wall, and got on fire. This was a deep moment of reflection for all at how precious each second of life is. To me it is always a tragic moment when someone dies on the field, court, or in racetrack (or any other playing surface). The best part of this story was seeing how the different drivers in the race reacted. They showed deep remorse for their fellow racer. The drivers response in the respectful way they honored Wheldon is one reason why I love sports.

Starting a new project

This blog comes as a result of different thoughts and ideas I have recently had concerning the wide world of sports. For those that know me, I love sports. I don't just love them for the excitement and the amazing athletic ability; I also love them for the great stories that they tell/teach. I want to share these ideas with others in order to promote sports as a whole and so others will get a better understanding of what can be learned from sports.