No Playoff in Sight

I was sitting with my father watching the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which utilizes the pantheon that is Yankee Stadium and the huge market of New York City to feature the match-up between perennial powerhouses Syracuse and Kansas State (note the sarcasm here).

He asked me, "So how many bowl games do they have now?"

I replied, "Thirty-five."

He chuckled for a few seconds and simply said, "Ridiculous."

And that got me thinking. It is ridiculous that 70 out of 120 teams in major college football have a chance to play in the postseason. It is absurd that even the most mediocre of programs are able to reap millions of dollars in financial incentives. The minimum payout to schools playing in bowl games is $750,000, according to USA Today, and the NCAA and conferences often lend additional funds to subsidize the costs incurred by the universities. But the worst part of the whole racket is that these "mid-major" schools (to use a basketball term) often see a bottom-line deficit, even after all the money is paid out. Between travel and housing for the team and absorbing the cost of unsold tickets, many schools end up in the red by the time the game is played. So why continue with this practice of the NCAA and sponsor companies throwing around millions of dollars if many schools never see any of it?

The answer: the BCS automatic qualifying conferences have a stranglehold on the money. See, this is where the light bulb should begin to flicker above your head. AQ conferences receive over 90 percent of the profits from the bowl games. So the long and short of it is that smaller schools get left by the wayside because smaller schools are not making anyone any money. People pay to see Ohio State play Florida, not to see Ohio University play Central Florida. Most of the funds from the postseason are diverted to Ohio State and Florida (in this scenario), while the OUs and the UCFs of America put in the same amount of work for little or no money (didn't that used to be a civil rights violation or something?).

So how could one address this natural inequity that exists in the current college football system? Aha! A playoff! That light bulb should be shining brilliantly now because a playoff system is a brilliant solution. All things are equal when two teams step on the field. Obviously, one team will be more talented or well-prepared than the other, leading one to win and one to lose. However, we are all familiar with the "every given Saturday" phenomenon, meaning that any team can beat any other if given the chance. If a playoff system existed, the NCAA could drop all of the 6-and-6 stragglers that make it into the Armed Forces Bowl now and let the best 8, 12, or 16 teams settle it among themselves. That's right, no December 18 bowl games that no one besides the parents of the players care about. No automatic qualifiers; as one can readily see, UConn is not one of the top ten teams in the country (in fact, they are not even one of the top 25). Just the best teams competing for the ultimate prize. It truly seems like the answer. Small school do not have to incur any losses from bowl expenses, and the fans see the best possible product on the field. So what's stopping the NCAA?

Unfortunately, we can't forget the big schools in this whole situation. Although sponsors will undoubtedly line up to get their names on anything related to a college football playoff, it will admittedly be awkward to market a football game with the moniker "Under Armour First-Round Game." If sponsors disappear, then so does a large chunk of the profits. If the profits disappear, then the big schools will be unhappy. And an unhappy baby makes for uncomfortable parents.

The parents in this case: the NCAA. The NCAA does not want its breadwinners to turn on it. What course of action the major schools would have in this situation is a question I cannot entirely answer. But the question of a college football playoff, I believe, has been answered vehemently for the near (and possibly distant) future. The NCAA goes where the money is, and the money is more likely to come from the Little Caesar's Bowl than a playoff game. Unless, of course, you're a non-AQ football program. But let's just keep that between us.

Hypocrisy and Inconsistancy

Good afternoon class, today the letter is 'H', which in these past two years has stood for "hypocrisy". It kind of stinks when there are so many examples of hypocrisy in sports. I used to think that hypocrisy was reserved for politicians and parents who use the "do as I say and not as I do" method of parenting. However, to find true hypocrisy and inconsistancy in sports no one needs to go much further than the NFL, or even our great university, THE Ohio State University.

The first example that comes to my mind is one with legal implications. Think of Michael Vick. Scorned and hated for being the head of one of the largest dogfighting rings in recent history (the man had merchandise and everything for the ring, "Bad Newz Kennels"). He disgusted all of us and was imprisoned for two years (people still debate if this sentence was too harsh or lenient) and was made an example. Not a person in the country didn't know who about Mike Vick.

Then came along Plaxico Burress and Donte Stallworth. Many people know of Burress, who was in a Manhattan nightclub when he shot himself with his own registered gun (which he had a license to carry as a concealed weapon) and was sent to jail for two years. So the man that had every right to carry this gun goes to jail for the same amount of time as the guy who was a professional dog killer. Okay, interesting... Oh, but it gets better!

Stallworth, also an NFL player, was driving drunk one night during the offseason when he struck and killed a pedestrian. His jail time? One month (30 days). So the dude that killed a man gets less time than the dog killer and the guy that shot himself? Those rulings were about as consistant as a pile of quick sand. I don't care how many dogs Vick killed, it doesn't amount to the worth of a human life. I think the jail time should reflect that. The fact that Burress was locked up for accidently shooting himself with a gun he is legally allowed to carry continues to perplex me.

Then we have our beloved university. Terrelle Pryor, DeVier Posey, Boom Herron, Mike Adams, Solomon Thomas and Jordan Whiting were suspended for selling their jerseys, championship rings and other memorabilia.

So if you didn't know, the NCAA and our university makes a lot of money off of college football. Our university makes so much, that it has extra money which funds every other sport and still has leftover money for stuff like the library and other things. No other university makes nearly enough money to be a completely self-sustained athletic department except for the university of Texas. This means that at every other school, sports not named football or basketball (which have all the major TV network contracts like ESPN or CBS or FOX) are essencially deficits to maintain, which is why you hear about those schools cutting sports.

The point is, millions upon millions are made off of college football. Ticket prices, TV contracts and merchandise. Other than the $200,000 estimated worth of a full-ride scholarship and the 15 minutes of fame players are afforded, they can make no real money off of their own name (ever wonder why they sell number 2 jerseys without Pryor's name on the back?). That goes for after the players graduate as well. So the NCAA which makes millions off of players' jerseys and ball games suspend players for trying to do the same. I do believe the claim that players made saying they sold their memorabilia and likeness to help their families. Also, if the players don't make it to the NFL (which very few do) they never make money off of their own likeness while the NCAA continues to make money (they still sell Florida number 15 jerseys down in Tampa, Florida). In the real world, making money off of someone's likeness without their approval or atleast a small royalty is called copyright infingement. Of course, the NCAA makes sure that it's legally protected when a player signs with a university so that the player can't make the money that is essencially owed to them. In the meantime, these players are literally killing themselves for all of America's enjoyment (think I'm exaggerating, look up the ramifications to the body done by years of playing football, it's like getting into a million car crashes) while the people making the real money off of the players are old guys in suits who likely never played the game (the people who run the NCAA). Now tell me, who's wrong: the players or the NCAA?

Jets lose in shootout against Bears 38 to 34

(Long Sigh)...........Well at least its not over, in a poor defensive performance by the New York Jets, the Bears (who came off a divison win/a clinching division championship win) beat the Jets at home 38 to 34. Even though if the Jaguars lose or the Colts lose (the Jets get in automatically with either of those teams losing) their should be some concern within the Jets lockeroom of not getting it done against quality opponents, it has been the biggest criticism of the New York Jets (other than the off the field issues and Tripgate) this year because if they do get into the playoffs the New England Patriots, and The Baltimore Ravens (maybe even Kansas City) will be ready to go come playoff time to destroy the boastful Jets dreams of the Lombardi Trophy. The offense was in championship form today however the defense was in sleep mode allowing 38 points and
Matt Forte running for 113 yards and Jay Cutler throwing three TD passes to crush a poor secondary missing its defensive quarterback Jim Leonard.

The defense had its small moments of greatness, first intercepting Cutler and taking it back for a touchdown by Dwight Lowery to take a 14 to 10 lead and sacking Cutler twice (although it should've been more sacks and for the most part in the game the pass rush was non existent) but the question is where is that championship defense from last year that dominated opponents and intimidated them with every snap? As the Jets had great performances by Mark Sanchez, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and the running game, the Jets have to wonder will they be ready to be a T-E-A-M that dominates on offense, defense, and special teams? The answer is still yet to be found but it better come quick because the playoffs is around the corner and a team that talked so much; it would be another sad moment for its franchise as well as its dedicated fans to lose with unfulfilled expectations.

The Real Fake Buckeyes

On November 20 after Ohio State defeated Iowa for their biggest road win of the year Terrelle Pryor (@TPeezy2) tweeted the following,

"Heard Kirk herbstreit was dogging us. He a fake buckeye. Fake as hell."

Pryor was apparently upset that Herbstreit, an ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback, had criticized the Buckeyes on TV earlier that day. Pryor later deleted the tweet.

Today it was made official who the real fake Buckeyes are.

Five Buckeyes were suspended for the first five games of next season for selling some of their football hardware and must give the money they received to charity. They were not suspended for the Sugar Bowl.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Dr.Saturday the five suspended players and their infractions are,

"• Adams must repay $1,000 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring.
• Herron must repay $1,150 for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes for $1,000 and receiving discounted services worth $150.
• Posey must repay $1,250 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,200 and receiving discounted services worth $50.
• Pryor must repay $2,500 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, a 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 Gold Pants, a gift from the university.
• Solomon (Thomas) must repay $1,505 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,000, his 2008 Gold Pants for $350 and receiving discounted services worth $155"

Also

"• Jordan Whiting must sit out the first game next year and pay $150 to a charity for the value of services that were discounted because of his status as a student-athlete."

What this all comes down to is the players, expect Whiting, sold personal belongings that they would be free to sell the minute they left college. They did not get money or favors just for being football players, but had to give something up.

However this is against NCAA rules (however stupid the rule may be) so they should be punished by the NCAA. The fact that the NCAA is not suspending them for the Sugar Bowl is troubling. It shows the NCAA does not want to hurt financially its bowl partner by helping to keep a competitive game, instead making the players sit an extra game at Ohio Stadium where they know the game will be sold out.

More important than any rule violations the five players broke (from here on out I am excluding Jordan Whiting) is that fact they disgraced what their team, the OSU athletic department, The Ohio State University, and Buckeye fans everywhere stand for.

I can forgive Herron because he only sold his jersey, pants, and shoes. All these things are individual to him so they are not as symbolic of the university.

Adams and Posey sold Big Ten Championship rings, a worse offense. If I was a team mate I would be disappointed, but as a fan selling one of your many championship rings is not a huge deal. So Adams and Posey, you are forgiven.

And now for the “fake” Buckeyes.

Terrelle Pryor and Solomon Thomas both sold their 2008 Big Ten Championship rings and 2008 Gold Pants. Pryor also sold his 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award (oh look, irony!). The selling of Gold Pants is an unforgiveable offense. At Ohio State only one thing is important, beating Michigan.

What Pryor and Thomas did was spit in the face of everything Ohio State stands for (and for only $350!!!). They have disgraced all real Buckeyes everywhere. If those articles are not important to them then they should not have the privilege of playing football and getting a free education at Ohio State.

Jim Tressel has built his program on valuing tradition and beating Michigan. Tressel should kick Pryor and Thomas off the team immediately and remove their scholarships.

I feel disgraced as a Buckeye that these two are playing and starting in the Sugar Bowl or ever will again wear the scarlet and gray.

Winning is not everything. It is an honor to be a Buckeye and it should be treated like one.

Pryor and Thomas have proven they are fake Buckeyes, and I for one will only be cheering for the real ones.

Follow me on twitter @samober

Jets win the war against Steelers 22-17

This game was back to basics; the "ground and pound" theory was in full effect today in Pittsburgh as both teams ran the ball effectively. Mendenhall had 100 yards in the game, the first opponent to have a 100 yard performance against the Jets defense since Jones-Drew's amazing performance last year in a Jets loss. But this time it was different, it was the Jets who came out on top today as they keep their playoff hopes alive and their wild-card berth intact. The Jets came in losers of two straight and controversy with "Tripgate" but in the end they pulled out an amazing win as the Steelers were the favorites to win the game. What set the tone of the game was Brad Smith's kickoff return that resulted in a touchdown for the Jets. Then came Sanchez's huge 7 yard touchdown run to give the Jets the tie heading into the 4th quarter. Then Jason Taylor's safety changed the game tremendously making it a must for the Steelers to score a touchdown but it never came as the defense held strong at the endzone to stop the Steelers (who were driving down the field) from essentially winning the game in the closing seconds. The Jets continue on to Chicago with another tough task ahead; but with the way the Jets played today; going back to ground and pound; staying with it and being patient with every run; theirs no possible way the Jets can lose with that mentality.

Sullinger

The guy is a grown man among little boys. 6'9" and thick as an offensive lineman. He's got range and is quick in the post, and he's also too strong to contain. Jared Sullinger, who has two 30-10 games (40 pts 13 rebounds vs. IUPUI and 30 pts 19 rebounds vs. South Carolina), is simply a beast. The real scary part of it all- he's only a freshman and will continue to improve. If he and the other highly talented freshmen (like J.D. Weatherspoon, Desean Thomas and Aaron Craft) all decide to stay- look out! There could be multiple championships for Ohio State basketball in the next few years.

Knicks lose Heartbreaker to Celtics 118 to 116

Well it was a heckuva try but no win. After another powerful performance by Amare Stoudemire (who had 39 points) including a game winner that would've counted but was a split of a second off; the Knicks lose to the Celtics as they brought it on late. Probably the biggest shot of the night came from Paul Pierce who hit a fadeaway shot over Stoudemire to take the lead and ultimately the win with 0.4 seconds left in the game. Big performances from Danilo Gallinari (who had an impressive 20 point performance all coming in the second half) who hit a shot and one after a previous big three pointer by Ray Allen to take the lead as well as Raymond Felton (who had 26 points). The Knicks stayed with the veteran Celtics all throughout the game but the Celtics pulled out the win going 20 and 4 for the season. On the meanwhile the Knicks lose their winning streak and go to 16 and 10 for the season. But if the Knicks show the same effort on friday as they did tonight, then maybe this becomes a win instead of a heartbreaker like tonight.

Jets lose statement game to Dolphins 10-6

The Jets are now at a crossroads, in a game that was far from perfect the Jets needed this win; and not just because it would seal a playoff berth for them but also to erase the bad taste of the Foxboro beatdown that occured last monday. This game had everything to make it a sloppy game; fumbles, interceptions, bad weather conditions and even fumbled exchanges. The Jets may have made some huge plays but the Dolphins capitalized on costly turnovers from the Jets to edge them out. This could've been a statement game, a game the Jets could've built on going into Pittsburgh, Chicago and Buffalo; but now all it did was damage the Jets HUGE ego (including Rex Ryan's ego) and left them with more questions then answers. The defense played exceptionally well (especially in the second half) but the offense kept on sputering with turnovers and ALOT of dropped passes from the recievers including a Santonio Holmes dropped pass in the endzone. Now at 9-4 the Jets have to finish strong these next three games or may look at the possibility of watching the playoffs at home if they continue to play poor offensive football in the weeks to follow.

Winter Weather

For me, a kid out of Tampa, FL, it is a little different finding myself in this winter full of snow rather than the occasional drop in weather to 40 degrees. It's not my first true winter, I lived in Cincinatti, Boston, and Philadelphia, but this is my first winter as a grown man. In the winters of my past, I was only concerned with snow angels, snowball fights and snowmen. Now, I find myself concerned with black ice and frozen roads, flu season, and the dreaded snow shoveling chore that comes with the wintery wonder.
One thing that I didn't even realize was that enough snow could delay a football game. I see games on TV with tons of snow all the time, but the game affected was an indoor game. The Metrodome in Minneapolis was shut down Saturday because of a small collapse in the roof due to an accumulation of snow. This, of course, has postponed the Giants-Vikings game scheduled to play Sunday. I knew the power of snow before this, I just never imagined the destructive power like this actually postponing a game.
This is actually a break for the Giants, who didn't even arrive into Minneapolis until late Saturday night. The New York G-men were stuck in a snowy layover in Kansas City.
As for the Vikings, the extra day or two is a break for the (seemingly) ancient Brett Favre. "It's fortunate that the game isn't today. If it was, I probably wouldn't have been able to go," said Favre. The other players, however, did manage to get a laugh over the inclimate weather. "Yeah, a joke has been going around the locker room that God is now trying to keep [Brett Favre's consecutive starts streak] alive," said Viking's receiver, Bernard Berrian.

Knicks get a Huge Win against Denver; Amare in Knicks history

The Garden was electric, chanting MVP! MVP! MVP!.......knowing that something special was on the court today as Amare Stoudemire with 5 fouls, willed his team to victory as the Knicks defeated the Denver Nuggets 129 to 125. Stoudemire had another 30 point performance as he is now the sole record holder of most consecutive 30 point performances. But the Knicks as a team had an impressive team performance and made defensive stops when they needed them. Wilson Chandler had 27 points, making a big basket after another big basket. With 31 seconds left Chandler hit a huge three pointer to close the game and take the win (probably the hugest shot in his career so far). For the Knicks this was a huge win, because the next two games will be against the on fire Celtics and Heat; and stealing a win today on their home court was major for the Knickerbockers. If the Knicks can steal two more; this can cause the entire NBA to take notice of whats happening in New York.

Road Warriors Continue to Win, Amare Ties Record in the Process; Knicks Win

Alot of things continue to go the Knicks way, probably one of the biggest plays in the game was when the lead for the Knicks was cut down to three and the Wizards had the ball; rookie sensation John Wall was weaving down the court ready to score again and cut the lead to one; however the great Amare Stoudemire blocks his shot which continued the momentum (as well as the lead and eventually the win 101 to 95) for the Knicks. Stoudemire so far has been the best move for the Knicks so far this season making plays when they count the most. He had an impressive 36 points and 10 rebounds which ties the record for most consecutive 30 point games. The Knicks go to 15-9 and take their winning streak at home against Denver which will start a string of games (which is the entire month of December) that will be tough games to win. This will test the Knicks and see if their true contenders or pretenders. As for now Knicks fans will enjoy this euphoric win streak that hasn't been seen in a very long time.

Patriots Reign Supreme, Jets lose 45-3

It was a nightmare of a night for the New York Jets who basically got beat up and truly humbled by a Patriots team that for the most part did more walking than talking. The Patriots (10-2) had a remarkable night, especially Tom Brady who completed 21 of 29 passes for four touchdowns while his QB counterpart ended his embarrasing night with 3 picks. Danny Woodhead also had a great night getting revenge on the team that cut him, having four catches for 104 yards. In a night that saw the Jets not making any plays; the Patriots made ALL of them when they needed them the most. Spikes interception when the Jets where in the redzone; Banta-Cain's sack on Sanchez to end the half. And Brady's MVP performance last night. The Jets (9-3) are truly humbled after a loss like this but they must bounce back and have the peformance of their lives against Miami otherwise two straight losses doesn't help their cause for a top seed in the AFC and as Rex Ryan calls it "leading the league in wins". Their QB of the defense is gone for the season which means that the defense has to step up and play more like a championship caliber defense and not like the one the whole nation saw last night.

OSU Women's Soccer Program's Glorius Season Ends with 1-0 Shutout by Notre Dame in College Cup Semifinal

It was a heartbreaking way to end an otherwise spectatctular season with Ohio State being shutout by the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish 1-0 in the semifinals of the 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.

In the first half, the Buckeyes had multiple scoring opportunities. In the 8th minute, sophomore forward Lauren Granberg dribbled into the top of the 18 yard box and fired a shot near post, but Irish goalkepper Nikki Weiss was able to come up with the diving save. Granberg would get another chance in the 21st minute when she took a shot from the left wing from 10 yards out with Weiss making another diving save on Granberg's shot.

In the second half, Notre Dame exerted their offensive prowess as they dominated in shots and shots on goal. Irish forward Rose Augustin had a golden opportunity for the Irish in the 51st minute when she had a wide-open look at the net after splitting two defenders. Augustin's shot landed in the chest of Buckeye goalkeeper Katie Baumgardner.

In the 83rd minute, the Irish finally broke through when Mandy Laddish scored on a left-footed strike from 20 yards out, beating Katie Baumgardner to her right. Up until that point, Baumgardner had been on her A-game, making 9 saves for Ohio State.

For the game Notre Dame outshot Ohio State 22-7, including 11-2 on shots on goal. Ohio State did not record a single coner kick for the first time all season as Notre Dame racked up 5. Ohio State ended the season with a 17-5-2 overall record, a share of the 2010 Big Ten title, and the program's first ever appearance in the Women's College Cup.

Knicks control Hornets, Win 100-92

It was a good day for Amare Stoudemire who had a double double (34 points, 10 rebounds) as the Knicks beat the Hornets 100-92. In the beginning of the game the Hornets controlled the Knicks bread and butter play, "the pick and roll" but soon Felton began to unravel their defense as he began to feed the ball inside to Stoudemire who controlled the paint with reckless abandonence. In the second half the Knicks began to takeover, creating turnovers and team defense that ultimately put the Hornets away. Plus an unlikely contributor with Shawne Williams contributing 13 points for the Knicks, dropping open basket after open basket. The Knicks get an impressive win as the Hornets were 8-1 at home and was able to beat a strong home team. The Knicks are now becoming "road warriors" having a six game road win streak since Dec '94 to Jan '95. The Knicks now improve to 11-9 and face Toronto on Sunday.