10. Owners and NFLPA Extend CBA Negotiations a Week
I can appreciate the owners and players agreeing to talk longer, but here is a novel concept…instead of negotiating a new deadline, why not just NEGOTIATE A DAMN DEAL SO FOOTBALL ISN’T CANCELLED NEXT FALL (sorry for the capital letters. The possibility of no NFL in September gets me riled up)? Both sides are arguing about three basic things. How to split $9 billion (what a terrible problem to have), the length of the season (owners want 18 games, players want to stay at 16), and longer health benefits for players after they retire. I know there’s a lot of money, but cant we get a few heads in a room together and hammer out a deal? The NFL is coming off its most successful financial season ever. You’d think petty differences would be thrown aside for the sake of growing the brand.
9. Mark Cuban in Talks to Develop TV Show With Charlie Sheen
I think Cuban should spend more time running the Mavericks than trying to bring a playoff system to college football, or even worse, trying to create a TV show for a crackhead.
8. Danica Patrick Finishes 4th in Nationwide Race at Las Vegas
Critics will say that Patrick’s first top-5 finish in NASCAR only happened because of great fuel
strategy by her crew chief, but she was running in 10th before fuel affected the outcome of the race (ironically, Patrick’s crew chief was the same man who made a similar call to put Dale Earnhardt Jr. in victory lane at Michigan in 2008). Patrick has come along way since her first races in a stock car in 2010. I’ll be stunned if she doesn’t make the jump to NASCAR full-time in 2012.
7. NCAA Investigating University of Oregon Football Program
I’ll start this by saying I have nothing against the University of Oregon, and wish no penalty or sanctions on their football team. I just feel it’s noteworthy because the majority of scrutiny this past season was on their opponent in the BCS Championship Game (Auburn), but now they are beginning to come under fire.
The NCAA has begun investigating Oregon after a $25,000 payment to Willie Lyles, a trainer based out of Texas. There are whispers that Lyles was paid by Oregon in exchange for prized recruit Lache Seastrunk (not to pick on the dude, but Lache Seastrunk is one of the craziest names for a runningback I’ve ever seen), who committed to the Ducks last January. Oregon has told the NCAA that Lyles is a scout who works for a recruiting service (all major colleges pay between $5,000 and $15,000 to recruiting services for game-tape of high school prospects), but Seastrunk’s mom has said that she was under the impression Lyles was just a trainer. Lyles had a mentor-like relationship with Seastrunk, and certainly was in a position to influence which school he chose to play for. Even more troubling for Oregon is the fact that Lyles is also linked to LaMichael James, another Texas recruit who finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting last December. The NCAA wants to know what sort of services Lyles was providing for such a high fee. Oregon can certainly explain how they were able to pay for such an expensive scouting service (as written about by me here after the BCS Championship Game, there’s tons of Nike money flowing through Oregon), but the real question will be the level of services provided by Lyles (who if you talk to a player’s mom, was a trainer, but to Oregon, he’s a scout. Sounds sketchy huh?). If Lyles is discovered to be nothing more than a private contractor that directs players to certain schools for a fee, Oregon will be staring at a stiff penalty from the NCAA.
6. Tim Tebow Supports BYU’s Brandon Davies
I’ve stayed away from the BYU “Honor Code” issue because the BYU Honor Code has been there for over 70 years. If you sign up to play for BYU, and you get caught doing anything that breaks the code, you should expect punishment. I mention it here only to praise Tebow for speaking out and wondering aloud whether or not the penalty was too harsh. Perception wise, Tebow is regarded as having very strong morals. For him to step out and speak on behalf of Davies, even though the transgression Davies committed goes against Tebow’s faith, was noteworthy. Even though this has nothing to do with running a 2 minute drill, I would feel better as a Broncos fan knowing I have a quarterback who’s unafraid to voice an opinion and lead.
5. Lakers Flex Muscles in San Antonio
Los Angeles has been sleepwalking most of the year, but they woke up for this one just to remind the league who the king of the west still is. San Antonio earned the right to take a game off after the #2 item on this list.
4. Carl Edwards Steals Las Vegas Win From Tony Stewart
As is the case with most 1.5 mile tracks, this race was a snooze-fest for the most part, but if you stuck around for the end you got to hear Tony Stewart give his best Ricky Bobby impersonation. Just for poops and giggles, here's the wheelchair scene from "Talladega Nights".
3. North Carolina Beats Duke, Wins ACC Regular Season Title
I watched all of this game, which sadly, doubled the amount of college basketball I had actually viewed live this season. If Duke isn’t hitting their threes, they have a very hard time generating offense. I’d be very surprised if this team made it past the sweet 16 (unless the tournament selection committee sets them up with a powder puff bracket like last season). North Carolina is a different story. Freshman Kendall Marshall’s ascension to the starting point guard position has brought the best out of Harrison Barnes, and North Carolina is one of the few teams that seem able to attack the paint when they need a bucket. This club reminds me a lot of the 2002-03 Syracuse club that was led by Carmelo Anthony.
2. Spurs Blast Heat By 30 Points
After an epic collapse at home against Orlando the previous night (epic is the only word that can be used to describe blowing a 24-point lead on your home floor), Miami came out totally flat at San Antonio. The most fun part of this was New Hampshire native Matt Bonner scoring 9 points in three minutes (watch the first minute or so of this video to see the 1st quarter assault). Apparently Miami was very concerned about defending the paint, because that’s where all five of their players ended up on every play. That’s a great defense to set your team up in if you’re coaching an elementary school basketball team, but not so great against one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA.
1. Heat Players Cry After Loss to Bulls
Tom Hanks famously screamed in “A League of Their Own”, “THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!” I think Erik Spoelstra needs to call Hanks in to give his players a pep talk. Personally, if I were a Heat fan, I wouldn’t mind hearing that Lebron and Bosh shed a tear or two after this game, because it shows they actually give a crap about what’s going on (Spoelstra essentially says that in the first minute of this clip). I’m starting to get the sense that the Heat’s big three (oops, I meant “The Big 2 Featuring Chris Bosh”) have finally realized that there talent alone isn’t going to carry them to the NBA title. Miami needs to come up with a half-court offense that doesn’t involved one of the big three dribbling with the ball and jacking up a shot while the other four guys on the court stand around.
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