Yeah, I know!  Another freakin' top ten list.  I think we have seen almost as many of those as we have "Doc" blogs.  I apologize in advance for those that got tired of seeing those since I was one of the ringleaders for that one.  Oh, and this will look like a list and not some great masterpiece from Time Magazine, so I also apologize to the grammar police as well.  By the way, how do you make a top ten and not make a list?  Just curious.  Oh, and you're welcome Detpack and crookdnose for that one.

Now onto the article.  Sports has redefined American culture.  Where would we be without it?  I can tell you!  We would probably read a lot of books and talk about back pains and constipation.  Since we do have sports, here are ten things that keep us entertained with the sports world:

10.  Without Sports, We Would Be Watching Webster Re-runs

Yes, sports gives us reason to be thankful for having something to watch on television.  I must admit, I enjoy some of this reality television, but it would get old without having a good football game to watch.  Flava Flav can pick sluts with the best of them, but the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are not too bad either.

9.  The Dream of the Unthinkable

Sports gives us the chance to grow up as kids with dreams of being the next great player in the sport we love.  I can remember being a huge Dale Murphy fan growing up and dreaming of playing for the Atlanta Braves.  The harsh reality is that I am a Sr. Vice President of a company and I am really out of shape.  Still, I can sit back and think "that could have been me" when I watch a good sporting event.

8.  Drama

I am not talking about General Hospital here, but I am talking about sitting on the edge of your seat during the big game.  Look at Texas/USC.  I bet 90% of America was on the edge of their seat when they watched Vince Young run it in for six.  Without sports, we could watch a good movie for suspense.  The difference, however, is that sports is real and movies are scripted.  You can't beat that!

7.  Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks!

Stadium food is expensive, but it rules!  You can't beat a good stadium dog and coke.  When I go to sporting events, I make sure to raid the ATM so I can buy my son and I a couple of hot dogs, cokes, and peanuts.  I know Take Me Out To The Ballgame mentions cracker jacks, but I can honestly say I have never seen them sold in a stadium.  Maybe Northside can tell me what they are like at a Cubs game.

6.  Scoring Tickets To The Big Game

Nothing is better than getting tickets to the big game.  Look, anybody can buy tickets to the Atlanta Hawks, but not just anyone gets Super Bowl tickets!  I went to the Super Bowl in Atlanta several years ago and it was awesome!  I think going to the game was actually better than the game itself.  Denver won the game, but the memory was priceless. 

5.  Getting On TV

Admit it, we have all been that #### in the background trying to say hello to their mother.  Sports is the only venue for such an event.  I remember my wife calling me one time to say that I was on ESPN.  I proceeded to scream like a fool in front of the camera, probably making many believe I was drinking the same stuff Joe Namath was drinking when he was trying to kiss Suzy Kolber. 

4.  The Atmosphere

Where else can you go and become a whole new person.  OK, Disney World and foreign countries, but sporting events brings out the wildness in everyone.  Yelling at the players and telling them they are bums is something you would not do out on the street.  Then again, some of you might and it explains the sudden loss of teeth and the deformed nose!

3.  Arguing Over Sports

OK, why are most of us here?  If you say because you think you are a serious journalist, then I must start laughing.  I have not seen too many serious journalists, but I have seen some rabid sports fans.  Heck, the arguments is just the nature of sports.  Saying your team is better than the other guy's team is one of many things that gives this site life.  If you were just working on serious journalism, then I would say this site would be dull and no one would be here much longer.  Some may hate the bickering, but we all can't get enough.  Deep down, you know I am right.  Scandal sells more articles than an English paper. 

2.  Sports Memorabilia

I have a huge collection of autographs and game balls that make my office at work the center of conversation with the sports nuts.  How many of you met one of your favorite players and got their autograph?  I have done it a few times and it is a HUGE rush.  I can still remember meeting John Elway and getting him to sign a football.  When I spoke with him, we discovered we shared the same birthday (June 28).  Not too many things are better than this.  I am still holding out hope that I will get the Joe Willie Namath helmet autographed, but that will take a little more effort.

1.  The Rivalry

Nothing gives sports more life than the rivalry game.  Where would baseball be without the Yankees/Red Sox duel?  Where would football be without games like Alabama/Auburn and Michigan/Ohio State?  Where would golf be without Tiger vs. Vijay?  What about basketball without Duke/North Carolina?  I can tell you, they would all be in the toilet.  The rivalries give us, as fans, reason to watch.  If it was just a plain game, then you would probably have people going to the library instead of their television during the Rose Bowl. 

Well, there you have it!  Another top ten list for all to read, some to make sick, and others to chew up for it not flowing well enough and resembling a list.  Then again, that is why we are all here.  We are here to express opinions and congratulate or slam each other over the various blogs that get posted on a daily basis.  Just remember, this is all for fun and when you take criticism seriously, then it no longer becomes fun.  Ok, off the soapbox, so feel free to fire at will!!!

I must admit, I did not think the NGS Judges had it in them, but they took care of business.  Doc was disqualified after all of the scandal that has brought the board to a whole new level in the past 24 hours.  I am very happy for the remaining finalists and I hope I was small part in making sure the REAL winner comes out in the end.  Good luck to the finalists and I look forward to reading their future assignments. 

As for Doc, I think you would have been better off had you not lied about things yesterday.  I would have respected you and even supported you had you just said you did it.  Instead, you added fuel to your own fire.  I enjoyed a majority of your work, but this was very disappointing.

Again, a big THANK YOU to the NGS Judges for doing what was right.

It is scary how much these two are alike.  Here are some comparisons:

*Palmeiro was destined for the Hall of Fame.  The Doc was destined for blogging stardom.

*Palmeiro swore he did not use steroids.  The Doc swore he did not plagairize.

*Palmeiro tested positive for steroids.  The Doc has evidence testing him positive for plagairism.

*Palmeiro was booed by fans.  The Doc was booed by bloggers.

*Palmeiro blamed Miguel Tejada.  The Doc blamed computer hackers. 

*Palmeiro will likely never make the Hall of Fame.  The Doc will likely be eliminated from NGS. 

I wonder two more things:  does The Doc have a mustache and does The Doc prescribe himself a heavy dosage of Viagra?  I would not be surprised to find these two to be true as well!

Unless you lived in a cave for the past 24 hours, then you probably have been getting caught up on the Doc and his plagiarism scandal.  Here are the key points from yesterday:

*Crookdnose mentioned Doc's assignment 2 matched an article on AskMen.com.  I admit, when I first looked at it, it did not match that much.  Then, Roger Wallace printed the original article before the mass edits and it was identical.

*The article in AskMen was written by Dave Golokhov.  Turns out Dave is a blogger here under the name VegasDave.  The most startling discovery was Peter, a NGS Judge, is also a writer for AskMen.  How could there be so much connection here?

*Doc says he did not do it.  When asked about his connections to the article, he proclaims someone must have hacked his computer and printed the article.  Hmmmmm.  When called on it, Doc deletes his comments and proclaims that the judges will set the record straight.

Ok, that pretty much gets everyone caught up.  There are very few buying the Doc's story because there is too much information working against him.  One thing that is still puzzling to me is why none of the finalists have said anything on this matter.  Detpack speaks on every controversy and he has went into hiding.  It just surprises me that this does not make them want to know the truth. 

Some may wonder why I started the crusade for truth.  The answer is quite simple.  I have grown a lot of respect for some of the remaining finalists.  I guess if I had made the finals, then I would want someone to help find the truth in all of this mess.  I feel like I have helped most of the finalists in the long run, but probably destroyed the Doc. 

That brings me to the Doc.  He probably thinks I am the witch hunter that is out to get him.  That is really not what this is all about.  I gave Doc a 5-star vote last week.  I hate it that the scandal is around the Doc.  Honestly, I would have found it to be more funny to watch Detpack drown in the scandal than to watch Doc go down.  With all that said, Doc must answer to us and not the judges because we have the say in who advances from here at this point.  If you believe the Doc, then give him an honest talent vote for assignment 2.  If you are like me and have decided that there is too much garbage surrounding this assignment to provide Doc a good score, then either don't vote or vote 1 star.  Doc probably wants a no vote to help his average, but if you feel you have enough evidence to make your decision, then make your voice heard.

In conclusion, I would ask that you all re-visit Roger Wallace's reprint of Doc's original article.  Then read some of the dialogue.  You notice people questioning how he could have done everything so quickly.  After reading it, please try to draw a conclusion.  Sure, this all could be a strange coincidence.  However, it is all too convenient to be nothing more than pure coincidence.  After getting caught up, comeback here and voice your opinions so the bloggers can make an educated vote for Doc, whether it being good or bad.  We all owe the finalists this much.

I posted a blog earlier today on the scandal involving Arabchicken and The Doc.  Some posts to this blog has brought to light some interesting facts that might make some of us su####ious of this whole thing.

The Doc has been accused of stealing Dave Golokhov's article from AskMen.com for his second assignment.  Some speculated that they are two of the same.  However, a blogger by the name of VegasDave is actually Dave Golokhov!  Why would he need the NGS if he writes for AskMen.com? 

Think it is just a coincidence?  Another writer for AskMen.com is none other than Peter Schrager.  So why is The Doc using AskMen.com for his blogs?  Why will The Doc refuse to answer any questions on the matter?  I think the answers are sitting right in front of us.  I hope the whole contest was not some publicity stunt because there are some genuine bloggers here that deserve it.  However, I don't like what is being brought to my attention.  Please help me get some answers on this matter.  I think our other finalists deserve that much from us.

Now that the finalists have been narrowed, controversy in running wild amongst the Top 16, or at least 2 of the 16 involved seems to be under fire.  Some people got tore up over arabchicken being 15 and a finalist.  Others are now discussing The Doc and plagiarism.  I think it is time to open up the door on these two and discuss it so all readers can make their own minds up on the two situations.

As far as Arabchicken goes, I am not mad at all.  Hey, this is a 15-year old that may have just discovered his career path at an early age.  It is easy to get upset about him being a finalist when he did not qualify, but that should tell you what kind of talent he has for this business.  Northside was probably the guy that got bumped and he really has a reason to be upset.  I will let the rest of you divulge on this one, but I say if he was one of the top 16 (regardless of age), then let him be in the light.  He did not win, so I guess it was not that big of deal.  If he kept someone out, then that means it was #16 of the Top16, meaning they probably would have lost regardless of Arabchicken.

Now to The Doc.  This one I can’t really support if it is true.  For those of you that may have missed this, Dave Golokhov wrote an article on AskMen.com and it apparently matches the same article The Doc posted for Assignment #2.  I have not viewed the article, but there are a few starting to wonder what is going on.  The puzzling thing is that The Doc was questioned about this and he deleted the question.  It needs to be answered because a lot of us will give you the 1-star vote everyday until it is answered.  No one wants a cheater to win and I think you need to clear the air before we go to vote today.  The difference between this and Arabchicken is at least Arabchicken was posting his own thoughts.  Now if The Doc prints a statement saying “I’m Dave Golokhov”, then we will all accept that.  If he says nothing, then that probably means he is guilty.  I hope it is not true because I enjoy reading his stuff, but why would a journalist from AskMen.com need this job? 

These are my takes on these two key issues, so feel free to express your own beliefs here so everyone can make an educated vote and not a popular vote in this contest.  That is the only way the most deserving finalist wins the contest.  Good luck to those remaining and I hope The Doc will clear the air for all of us today.

As my wife and I debated on what to watch last night on television, she reminded of all the football I have watched the past few days, so it became ladies' night in the rlb household.  Her selection for the night was Dancing with the Stars on ABC.  As they named off the dancers, I started wondering "where are the stars?"  As the list grew, I quickly discovered my worst fears...Jerry Rice is on this show!!!!!!! 

How could the greatest receiver to ever play the game be on TV doing the cha cha cha?  What pains me more is to hear him say that this is bigger than the Super Bowl!  How in the world can competing against Kenny Mayne in the waltz be bigger than facing the Denver Broncos for Super Bowl glory?  I look at my Jerry Rice football cards and keep getting disgusted at the thoughts of him as a dancer. 

As the show went on, I kept observing "stars" trying to dance.  Kenny Mayne was quite painful.  His ESPN buddies would have been proud.  If the contest contained dances such as the Robot, then he would have been set.  Yes, the show tried to make Rice look better by having a showdown with Mayne just before a commercial.  The two tried stare each other down, almost as if it were Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson ready to have a boxing match.  The sad truth is that they were competing with the cha cha.  Yes, the cha cha.  Not quite a showdown to compete with Wrestlemania, but it was the match to watch.

Just think, after all those touchdowns, Rice is now trying to score points from judges (or refs for those clinging to Rice's football days) that know about as much about football as a group of nuns.  Yes, Rice performed well in the judges eyes, but I just looked on with a sickening look and wondered, "how could this be?"  I was hoping it would have been a disaster and they boot him off to salvage my memory of him.  Instead, we continue seeing Rice in......oh no, can't say it.......TIGHTS!!!!!!!!!  Yes, our beloved football legend is now ready for the ballet. 

So if anyone decides to tune in for Dancing With The Stars, then do the sports world a favor and not vote for Jerry Rice.  The sooner he is off the show, the sooner our football cards increase in value.  My Jerry Rice rookie card probably dropped $1 just by him appearing on the show last night.  Please, help me save Jerry from more humiliation than what he has already placed on himself.  PLEASE!!!!!!!

Is Vince Young The Next Steve Young or Michael Vick?

After watching the Rose Bowl last night, I have to wonder what kind of legacy Vince Young will leave on the game 20 years from now.  He ran all over a mediocre Trojan defense and scored the winning touchdown with 18 seconds on the clock, giving Texas their first National Championship since 1970.  Young, who is a Junior this year, has a decision to make as to stay in school another year or bolt to the NFL for the money.  One thing is for sure, when he does enter the draft, he will be a first round pick.  That could be good or bad, really depending on where he would end up.

In a good scenario, he could be like Steve Young.  Steve Young is possibly the best scrambling QB to play the game.  He could beat you in the air and he could beat you with his legs.  Vince Young accomplished this at Texas, but we all know the talent level is much better in the NFL than it is in college.  Steve Young excelled at BYU.  He spent some time at Tampa Bay before serving as the back-up quarterback for Joe Montana in San Francisco.  As Montana aged and had some injury problems late in his career, Steve Young pounced onto the scene, helping the 49ers carry their 80's dynasty in the early 90's. Steve Young and Jerry Rice had a chemistry very similar to that of Montana and Rice.  For Vince Young to have success as a "balanced" quarterback in the NFL, he would have to go to a team that has some receiver strength. 

The Saints have the #2 pick in the draft and their decision will most likely be between Vince Young and Matt Leinart, should Vince declare himself eligible for the draft.  The Saints do have some strength at receiver with Joe Horn and Daunte Stallworth.  This would probably be a good place for Young to go if he came out early.  If the Saints beefed up their line a little bit in the later rounds and found a reliable running back, Young could lead them to greatness, just like he did with Texas.

On the other hand, there is a chance he could be like Michael Vick.  Many have argued over how good Vick is, but few can say he has been successful as a passing quarterback.  To Vick's defense, he really has not had any good receivers to throw to, but Vick tends to rely on his legs more than his arm.  Young could fall into the same style of quarterback as Vick.  Young tends to trust his legs more, which esposes himself to injury later down the road.  If Young ended up on a team like the Jets, he could be another Vick-style quarterback.  The Jets and the Falcons have very similiar receving corps, so Young could have a tougher time developing in an environment like the Jets.  Again, many may argue that it is not a bad thing to be compared to Vick, but one can only believe that these style quarterbacks will only thrive if they have some playmaking receivers around them.

Vince Young is a  great talent and he proved that he could carry a team on his shoulders and win championships.  The telling story of his future will be in which team drafts him to be their guy for the next decade.  Depending on which team he goes to, he could be great like Steve Young, or he could be a running back out of position like Michael Vick.  Only time will tell, but for the moment, Vince Young can smell roses and look at his new trophy.

I must admit, the person that plotted this evil scheme was quite clever.  I think it just goes to show how serious many of us took this and the letdown it delivered to most that did not make the final cut.  I can't deny not falling for the whole bit.  It did make me think about the four "Honroable Mentions" that are out there.  Here are my four Honorable Mentions and everyone feel free to give an opinion on the matter:

1.  Northside Fan:  This guy did write some good stuff.  It was very unfortunate to not see him make the finals because I had the feeling many others here thought he was in for the Final 16.  He was probably the biggest shock to me.

2.  Socal:  Another guy that had a strong following and for good reason.  He posted some good blogs that made you think.  He and Northside were close in my book.

3.  InTikiITrust:  This guy is as good a writer as Tiki Barber is a running back.  Not sure he could have beat out some others in the final 16, but good enough to be mentioned.

4.  Moore Sports:  This has to be the most underrated blogger out there.  No one seemed to read his stuff, but I found it very good.  I thought he looked like more of a real writer than some that made the cut.  If you get a chance, check out his blog and tell me what you think.

Those missing the Honorable Mention Cut but were still good:  Quick Slant, Swami, Drum Beater, and Lee 11 (too funny not to mention).

Let's hear some Honorable Mentions out there!!!

The Most Beautiful Ugly Kick I Have Ever Witnessed

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Tech Red Raiders engaged in one of the best bowl games of the season yesterday with the Crimson Tide prevailing 13-10 on a Jamie Christensen 45-yard field goal.  As good as the game was, the winning kick was as ugly as one could ever imagine a field goal to be.

Alabama jumped out to an early 7-0 lead when Brodie Croyle connected with Keith Brown for a 76-yard touchdown.  Some speculated Brown's knee was down, but no replay has been produced to back-up the claims.  In any event, the Tide was off to a strong start. 

Texas Tech responded late in the 1st Quarter with a field goal after an Alabama player was called offsides when Texas Tech missed their first attempt.  This made the score 7-3, but Texas Tech was gaining momentum. 

In the 2nd Quarter, Texas Tech blocked an Alabama field goal and drove the ball down the field late in the first half.  Texas Tech went to kick a field goal to end the first half, but Alabama returned the favor by blocking the kick to go into the half up 7-3.

In the 3rd Quarter, Alabama drove the ball down the field and ate about 8 1/2 minutes off the clock.  However, the Tide could only manage a field goal to make it 10-3.  The Tide defense continued to dominate through the 3rd Quarter, holding Texas Tech out of the end zone through the first three quarters.  That is something no defense has been able to do all year.

In the 4th Quarter, Alabama was forced to punt from deep in their own territory.  Texas Tech had a good punt return, giving them the ball at the 38-yard line.  After a 26-yard reverse, Cody Hodges found Jarrett Hicks for a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Alabama took the ball with a shade over two minutes left at their own 15.  Croyle marched the Tide down the field to setup the Christensen field goal with five seconds on the clock.  Christensen described the kick as "ugly", but it scraped the lower corner of the goal post for the victory.

Afterwards, Red Raider QB Cody Hodges described the kick as "a 3-iron punch into the wind."  As the Tide players raced onto the field to celebrate, Hodges and his fellow Red Raider teammates had the deer in the headlights look, just as many of us did across the nation.  How could such an ugly kick have cleared the upright?  It look like a woobly frisbee that was thrown with a hook pattern.  Some may even say it looked like a wounded duck.  If anyone missed the game, then I suggest you tune into FSN and watch the highlights because the kick will be one both Red Raider Coach Mike Leach and Crimson Tide Coach Mike Shula see in their dreams at night for a week or so, although Leach's will be in the form of ugly kick nightmares. 

Ah yes, the most classic NFL Draft Day moment to me is when the fans were pleading with their hometown NY Jets to draft Warren Sapp, but only to settle for Kyle Brady.  The echo of "Who" filled the arena.  Truly great stuff.  Brady was not the first pick overall, but he was first round and has yet to really have a real impact in the NFL.  The Houston Texans will probably have the first pick this year, so could the Texans provide us with this year's Kyle Brady moment?

The majority of the country says Reggie Bush should go number 1.  I agree and he probably will go number 1.  But what if he didn't?  What if the Texans took QB Bruce Gradkowski from Toledo?  Good talent, but first round he is not.  I can hear it now, "Bush, Bush, Bush........GRADKOWSKI!"  Yes, the draft would be in the toilet.  The Texans would probably go ahead and forfeit their season. 

Ok, I know that would never happen.  However, I do expect that there will be a Kyle Brady moment in this year's draft.  The Jets are good at screwing up the draft, so I suspect they are a prime target.  Other teams with Brady potential would be Arizona, San Francisco, and Detroit.  Detroit has drafted wide receivers in the first round every year since Ickey Woods was still doing the shuffle for the Bengals, so I know they have potential.  They would be prime candidates to take someone from Army in the first round, only to have to wait for them to complete their service before they could join the team.

The draft is good for drama and letdown.  Dynasties could be born and jobs could be lost.  In the end, we all be here to blog on the great draft disaster.  When we do, just remember your good ole buddy rlb001 told you about a guy named Bruce Gradkowski and I can say I told you so!!!!!!  Well, maybe not, but it could happen.

Folks, we made it this far and I think many of us can say we had fun along the way.  With yesterday being the deadline, many of us made a mad dash to post the blogs we had been working on in our heads for a last minute attempt at fame, some fortune, and a little bit of bragging rights.  Now that it is over, what will happen to us bloggers?

For 16 lucky bloggers, you will get an opportunity to write for Fox Sports, which is a great honor.  You will have that chance to show you can attract readers to your blogs with interesting topics on sports, scandal, victory, and defeat.  Oh, and let us not forget sex in sports.  Sorry, I knew some needed that mentioned to keep their will to win!  Seriously, next week becomes crunch time and all the silly stuff is thrown out the window in an attempt for a dream job. 

What about the rest of the blogger nation?  Some will disappear.  In fact, many will sink into a hole, never to return unless NGS 2 comes out for the aspiring sportswriter.  Others may jump off a building.  Meanwhile, the remaining bloggers will continue writing about things that interests them, caring not about judges, cliques, blogger romances, and critics.  Isn't that what it is all about?  I think so. 

As for me, I hope I make it to the end.  Will I?  Hard to say.  There are too many deserving candidates to think I can slide in with no problem.  That is why I will continue business as usual and plan to keep writing blogs whenever I so choose to do so.  If I get to the finals.....WHOOPEE!!!!!!!!  If I don't, then it was a valiant effort, but an effort that introduced me to some great talent and great people.  I look forward to talking sports moving forward and supporting the winner of NGS and wishing them the best, even if it wasn't me!  Good luck to everybody and let's continue business as usual.

This is the first week I have really had any spare time to look at the site and post some articles, but I have quickly noticed some odd trends.  There seems to be a debate going as to the system of the blog and wondering if this is a popularity contest or is it a talent contest.  I believe the answer is yes to both.

One half of us are into the art of the blog.  The art of the blog, in my opinion, is to find an original story and write your true thoughts on it and hope it sells.  Being somewhat new to this, I am not sure if I have posted thoughts people have already seen or original thoughts.  One thing that is for sure, I have had fun.  The true art of the blog should provide entertainment to those participating.  Lately, I can't tell if people are having fun or just fighting.  I think some know how to push buttons and others can't take it. 

One controversy has been that of sexual pictures to lure people to your blog site.  On part of me says it is cheap, pathetic, and a desperate attempt for attention.  Another part of me says "good advertising".  Scandal gets attention.  I don't agree personally with it, but it has been effective.  Is it part of the art?  Nah, but it is good advertising.

Now to the popularity contest that the other half stand on.  Many have been complaining about a clique that has controlled the site and nominated each other for the job.  Cheap advertising for buddies?  Yes.  Smart?  Yes.  Honestly, I would have tried to join the clique had I had the time to do so.  It is free advertising for yourself.  The judges will see the same names over and over and you know they will eventually narrow them down to at the very least a semi-finalist list to mark down to the finalists.  Face it, as a judge, one thing that you can't ignore is a bunch of different bloggers nominating the same name.  Those that don't like it is due in large part to not being in the clique of names getting nominated constantly.  As a fellow blogger not on the infamous popularity list, oh well.  Yes, oh well. 

The point of this, to me, is to have fun and maybe meet some new folks to talk sports with.  Personally, I like what I write about because it is what interests me.  Would I like to be a finalist?  Of course!  Have I enjoyed what I have done at this point?  You bet!  I may get left off the final list, but I still had a ton of fun along the way.  I just hope everyone looks at things the same as me on this one.  If you get wrapped up in the "who is doing what" game, then you will drive yourself nuts.  Just stick to what you like and it will work out if it was meant to be.  Life goes on outside this contest. 

Guys, keep on with the good writing.  Good luck to the finalists.  I might be there, but if not, I know we have several worthy bloggers ready to take the job.

Is Media Good For Sports?

The media has brought sports to the forefront of American Entertainment.  Without cable channels and newspaper articles hyping teams, players, and games, where would sports truly be?  Would sports be better off without some aspects or all aspects of media involvement?  A closer look is due on this one.

Fox Sports, ESPN, and others are the primary source of sports information for the public.  Secondary sources have become XM Radio, newspapers, and magazines.  What seems to be the popular things to discuss?  Scandal!  America loves a good, juicy story.  Whether it is full of controversy or full of a wholesome, good outcome in the end, America can’t seem to get enough.  Probably the most recent scandal the media loved was the Terrell Owens drama with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In case you lived in a cave for the past year, TO got into a vicious contract dispute in the preseason with Philadelphia, saying he deserved to be paid Marvin Harrison type dollars.  TO took it to an extra step.  He bashed Head Coach Andy Reid and QB Donovan McNabb along the way.  TO found himself suspended, but was later allowed to rejoin the team.  The media was all over it.  TO did interviews with his shirt off to perform sit-ups for his crowd.  Then, Sports Illustrated attempted to portray a wonderful relationship between McNabb and TO that had been rekindled.  To read the article, one would have thought TO and McNabb were best friends and it was all a misunderstanding.  Yeah right!  As the season began to take shape and the Eagles were not playing very well, TO lashed out again.  TO claims the Eagles would have won the Super Bowl with Brett Favre at quarterback.  Ouch!  I guess they were not as big of buddies as reported.  TO was later kicked off the team, as Reid felt that the Eagles were better off without him.  From a talent standpoint, he has lost his mind.  However, Reid based it from a locker-room standpoint and he was right on with that decision.

With all of this in mind, did the media make it worse?  Indirectly, yes!  TO was starved for attention and the media was simply reporting on an interesting story.  TO abused it and eventually got burned.   TO continuously called the media for television time to pull his shenanigans and the media obliged.  Had there not been a huge media outlet, would TO still be an Eagle?  I think so.  Though it is not the media’s fault, TO probably would have not had done some of the things he had done had it not been for the media being readily available to report on his latest outburst. 

Remember the Mike Price scandal at Alabama?  For those that do not, Mike Price was hired as Head Coach for Alabama 3 years ago after a successful stint at Washington State.  Price coached the Tide through Spring Practice, but an infamous golf outing in Florida ruined him in the end.  Price was on a golf outing for charity in Florida.  One in which several coaches were invited to attend.  Price did more than play golf, unfortunately, and ended up out of a job.  Price and an assistant coach took a trip to a strip club and the story becomes alleged from there.  Allegedly, Price took one of the girls back to his hotel room and engaged in sexual activity with her.   He left the girl in his room the following morning and ran up a large room service bill on his credit card.  The problem, however, was that the credit card was the University of Alabama Corporate Card!  The scandal forced him out as coach of the Tide and Alabama quickly turned to Mike Shula. 

As for the media involvement, Price claims he did not have sexual relations with this woman (ala Bill Clinton).  He said he had a lot to drink and woke up to find this girl lying in the other bed and his clothes and glasses were still on.  He was shocked.  Sports Illustrated ran wild with the story and Price sued them for defamation.  Price settled with Sports Illustrated outside of court.  However, it was not Sports Illustrated that broke the story in the beginning.  It was, in fact, an internet message board for the Auburn Tigers.  Someone had posted saying they heard some wild things out of Florida and was wondering who else had heard the rumors.  Just goes to show the blog system is just another form of media.  Had it not been for the media, would Price still be at Alabama?  Possibly, but one has to wonder what Alabama would have thought of his hotel bill even if the media never had gotten involved.  Price is now Head Coach for UTEP. 

So is the media ruining the games we love or does it just make it better?  Would we be better off without it?  I believe the media actually helps sports by keeping our interest level alive.  TO and Price are just two examples used, but great stories come along every year.  Without the media, TO and Price could have very well saved themselves a lot of money.  I look at this from a different angle.  I feel the media actually saved Philadelphia and Alabama from future problems down the road and did those teams a favor.  The media will always have stories we are disgusted with and they will always have stories we can’t get enough of, but without the media, sports could be pretty boring. 

Take Your Pick:  Pro or College Football?

Pro Football and College Football have both become a huge across the country, but which is better?  Would you rather see the best athletes in the world making big money or would you rather see wild rivalries and the band playing after a touchdown?  Let’s explore the two.

Pro Football, mainly the NFL, has become one of the most popular things to watch on the weekends.  The Super Bowl is the biggest marketing day of the year.  Face it, America loves football.  What makes the NFL so special?  Let’s start with the talent level.  The NFL has a seven-round draft that selects the top college talent in the country.  Then, they cut the ones that can’t hack it in the league.  The guys getting cut are usually the same guys college coaches held in high regard for having heart.  You have to have more than just heart in the NFL.  The NFL has not stooped to the level of digging through high schools for talent, which has kept the league full of players that actually did (we hope) get some sort of education outside of the football field.  One thing that has kept Pro Football fresh to us is the absence of labor strikes.  Baseball and Basketball have had unions fighting the system for the past decade.  Meanwhile, Pro Football has continued on without much controversy other than a Janet Jackson ####.  Fantasy football is probably the most popular of the fantasy sports and it has also given the NFL an extra boost in its ratings.  So how can college football compete?

College Football has the rivalries that the NFL would dream of.  Many people in the South live for Florida/Georgia, Auburn/Alabama, Tennessee/Alabama, etc.  Many people across the country tune in for Ohio State/Michigan, USC/UCLA, and even Army/Navy.  Tradition also plays a huge part in college football.  College Football is comprised of the best athletes from the high school ranks on teams with dreams of National Championships and NFL Draft aspirations.  Some say that the heart is in College Football more than it is Pro Football because they are not paid to play.  Bands fill the stadiums with fight songs and end zone celebrations.  The one thing that makes college football special more than anything else is the whole college atmosphere on game day.  The students are partying, band is playing, and the rivalries are intense.  College Football has become a huge advertising tool for companies on Saturday afternoon. 

So which is better?  My vote goes with college football.  Pro Football is entertaining, but the college level has rivalry games that keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.  College Football’s atmosphere on game day is much more intense as well as exciting.  Many have debated these two, but I stick with college football in this debate.