Ivan Soto needs to get a clue

AFLPU Executive Director Ivan Soto (@luv2nvst on Twitter) continues to make himself look like a complete ass on Twitter.  The latest target of his stupid antics is the fan site AFLFanZone.  Soto tweeted out the following message tonight.

Notice the name of the website in question.  AFLFanZone as in fans.  This is a fan site with message boards which serves as the mouthpiece of the AFL fans around the country.  It doesn't matter what team you root for, everyone is welcome on the site.   They don't write articles and cover teams like a professional news organization.  They are the lifeblood of the sport, the fans themselves.

What kind of idiot attacks the fans, especially when trying to imply the owners can afford bigger salaries.  Doesn't he realize the increased cost of business will get passed down to the very fans he is trashing?  Even better in earlier tweets he asks for fan support during all of this.  So which is it?  Do you want the fans support or not?

One should expect some professionalism out of the guy in charge of the player's union, but this is Soto we're talking about.  He tweets out messages about there being a 10% chance of games being played last weekend then acts all shocked when the owners go and do something to ensure the game goes on as scheduled. 

Most union leaders in this country would be furious if some of their players crossed the picket line, but Soto himself tweeted he was glad the players did.

The fact they crossed showed how weak the union was in this case.  Soto would have you believe that at least 90% of the players are completely on board with the union plan, but as we saw last Friday in Orlando, over half of the Power players crossed to play in the game.

Don't get me wrong, I do feel the players deserve more compensation for their efforts.  They should be paid for all weeks they are involved with the team, including bye weeks and training camp.  In the case of a trade their relocation costs should be handled by the league.  But they deserve to have competent leadership capable of getting that message across to the league in a professional manner.

If I'm an owner, am I really going to take a guy with the Twitter name "@Luv2nvst" seriously?   Is it too much to ask that you get a professional sounding Twitter name?  What does that stand for anyways? 

AFLPU Headquarters

If you look and act the part, people will be inclined to take you more seriously.   Why don't you try something simple like @AFLPU_Soto.  Of course since he blocks just about anyone who says anything bad to him on Twitter then why bother in the first place.  A week ago he had 45 followers and most of the ones he has picked up are media types who need a good laugh when he tweets out more garbage.


Here's one thing I am curious about.  I'm told the cost to join the AFLPU is $240.00 per player.  21 active players times 17 teams equals $85680 in union dues.  That doesn't even count the players who get signed midseason.  That's a lot of coin and you have to wonder how that money is being spent.   Knowing Soto, he probably invested the money in a new AFLPU office.  I put a picture of it over to the right.  This certainly puts the PU in AFLPU.

Here's the bottom line.  This league is two years removed from bankruptcy.  The league had to shut down because its economic model was flawed.  That's why salaries went down drastically.  We're now at the point where there are a lot of equally talented players waiting in the wings for a chance to play this game.  They are eager to show what they can do and are more than willing to play for what the league is currently offering.

Ivan Soto needs a
copy of this book.

I love the arena football league but it's still a minor league sport.  It's still niche entertainment.  Most of these guys are not good enough to play in the NFL.  That doesn't change the fact that fans will throw their support behind their favorite teams, and that doesn't mean these guys suck.  What it does mean is that each and every player is replaceable.  If you're replaceable, then what kind of leverage do you have in trying to negotiate a 300% pay raise AFTER agreeing to a contract at a lower rate.

Bottom line, the union deserves someone who didn't learn how to negotiate while staying at a Holiday Inn Express.  They deserve better.  Isn't that what this whole fight was supposed to be about all along?  Improving things for the players?

Get a real leader in place, and maybe the league will do the right thing.  Stop attacking the people who help pay for your player's salaries.  Stop attacking the people who do actually care about this sport. 

Negotiating 101.  Stop trying to use the cliff notes version.

Be sure to let him know what your thoughts are concerning this entire mess by emailing him at Ivan.Soto@aflpu.org

Ryan Braun wins appeal of 50 game suspension for positive drug test.

Ryan Braun has won his appeal of a 50-game suspension for testing positive for elevated levels of synthetic testosterone.  He is the first player to ever successfully appeal a drug related suspension.

The arbitration panel ruled that policy was not followed in the collection of the sample.  The collector admitted he took the urine sample home with him rather than ship it via FedEx to the testing lab in accordance with MLB policy. 

While the elevated levels would point to Braun being guilty, I have to agree with this decision.  There are a lot of steps in place to ensure there is no "foul play" in the drug testing program.  Who knows what this collector did with the sample that night.  Maybe he was a Cardinals fan with an axe to grind. 

Brewers fans and supporters of Ryan Braun are now claiming he is completely innocent.  How can we ever truly know?  Maybe he just got completely lucky on a technicality.  Criminals go free because police crime labs don't cross their T's and dot their I's.  Murderers walk out of holding cells because cops don't wait for search warrants.  

It certainly appears as though Braun dodged a huge bullet.  Testosterone levels as high as what Braun tested for can only come from a synthetic source.   There's no mistaking the fact that there was something in that sample, but again, there's no way to be sure the sample wasn't tampered with.

It remains to be seen what the damage to Braun's reputation will be as a result of this.   Many opposing fans are sure to give Braun a bunch of crap when he visits their stadium.  People will view his MVP season as tainted.

For the record, Braun did pass the second test immediately once it was discovered protocol was not followed.  He has also passed every other test given in his career, including the minor leagues.   That doesn't change the fact that we'll never know for sure. 

The drug policy failed today.  Plain and simple.

LeBron James is engaged. What, no primetime special?

LeBron James completely dropped the ball on his proposal to his new fiancee Savannah Brinson.

Look back at all the TV ratings and money he raised for charity when he had an ESPN prime time special to announce he was taking his talents to South Beach and turning his back on Cleveland.

Imagine how much publicity he could have earned if he had set it up reality TV style to pop the question on national TV.  Hopeless romantics everywhere fall hardcore for this stuff. 

You could have gotten Jim Gray to reprise his role as useless commentator during the special. Even better, just get Gray himself to ask her the magical question. I'm sure the girl doesn't really care, all that matters is that she is now engaged to one of the wealthiest men in the country.

You could have made it a $4.99 pay per view movie On Demand and people are dumb enough to pay. 

Maybe ABC should have courted "The King" to be on their reality show "The Bachelor".  Could you imagine the ratings for that?  

Why stop there?  Seeing how much publicity the Kim Kardashian five second wedding to NBA star Kris Humphries generated, shouldn't the competitive fires in James inspire him to outdo one of his NBA peers? 

I really think the King James marketers dropped the ball here.  The NBA really needs some positive publicity in the wake of the NBA lockout.  This would have drawn in casual fans who have nothing better to do than stalk a celebrity.

Oh well, congratulations to LeBron and Savannah.  Wonder how long the marriage will last?

Mark Madden's Twitter comments drawing some heat

Mark Madden is up to his usual tricks again, turning the Twitter universe upside down. 

After a Twitter battle with Ryan Clark earlier in the year, he's now "catching heat" for his comments towards Twitter user Lacey aka @ZbynekGirl.

Jezebel.com is up in arms over his comments about women.  Lacey herself seems to think she's going to get Madden fired and is talking lawsuits over the whole situation.   Seeing as she has "✔ ZbynekGirl verified" in her profile, she seems to have an inflated sense of worth.   The avatar pic of her cleavage is a nice bonus for her followers I am sure.

Last I checked Madden is just exercising his freedom of speech.  I might not agree with his comments, but he has a right to his opinion, just like his followers have the right to disagree with said opinions.  Lacey has a right to express hers as well, but if she thinks he's going to get fired over this or that she has a winning lawsuit on her hands, I think she's sorely mistaken.

When are people going to learn that Madden is the master of getting attention?  It's what drives ratings in radio and he's damn good at his job.   He's successfully carried over his radio shtick to his Twitter account.  This @ZbynekGirl seems to be getting a lot of extra attention from Twitter as well.  See how this works? 

@ZbynekGirl

The truth is people don't realize that Madden's Twitter feed and his radio persona are a character.  He knows the type of character that sparks controversy and he thrives on it.  It gets people talking about him.  How many other Pittsburgh radio personalities make headlines like this?  Most of them are boring, useless retreads that rely on callers to fill most of the time on the show. 

In case some of you think he just spews venom for attention, keep in mind he was one of the first reporters to report the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State.   The article is from April, months before the rest of the world started reporting on the story in the wake of the grand jury findings. 

Love him or hate him, Madden puts on an entertaining show that keeps people listening no matter what side of the debate they are on.

BS National Championship Rematch

 

What the BCS Logo SHOULD look like

Well the SEC fans got what they wanted, bragging rights for a guaranteed SEC victory in the national championship, but the rest of the country continues to laugh at the complete farce known as the BS, errr excuse me, BCS system.

By virtue of the complicated computer and human rankings hodgepodge, they've spit out that LSU is the number one team, which no one can dispute at this point, and Alabama is the number two team.  They have already played this year, but who cares about that?

The regular season is SUPPOSED to matter! Every game is a playoff we're told, and yet Alabama gets a second chance to beat LSU. 

Alabama didn't win their conference, they didn't even win their division.  They had their chance and blew it.  If LSU beats them in the BCS championship game, all they are doing is reaffirming they are better than Alabama.  If Alabama beats LSU then the season series is tied 1-1.  LSU will still have the better overall record. 

Oklahoma State won their conference and they possess 3 victories against top 15 BCS teams, compared to one for Alabama.  Oklahoma State only has one loss just like Bama.  Looking at most of the Computer rankings for the BCS, Oklahoma State came in 2nd as opposed to Bama's average rank of 3rd.

The other major one loss team in the country is Stanford who lost to Oregon and lost their chance to play in the PAC-12 championship.  Similar situation to Alabama, but there's no SEC bias propping up the Cardinal in this one.

The truth in college football is that there's plenty of teams who are talented enough to win a national championship but you are forced to rely on a bunch of biased rankings to determine just the top two teams.  It should be settled on the field like it is in every other level of football and every other NCAA sport.

Look at the March Madness tournament.  There's room for every conference winner big or small along with plenty of at large bids for deserving teams.  You could limit it to the AQ conferences, (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, PAC-12, Big 12 and SEC) and two remaining teams as determined by the BCS rankings. 

If you aren't good enough to win your conference outright, you run the risk of missing out on the playoffs.  It's time to do away with the Beef O' Brady's Bowl, and give football fans what they want.  A real way of determining a national champion.  Maybe more people will start caring again. 

Going 10-2 should mean something in college football, but unless you play in the SEC, you're eliminated from the National Championship game.  Look at teams like Boise State who have proven over and over that they can not only compete with, but beat the teams from the major conferences.

They have no chance this year at a title because their kicker missed a FG at the end of a game, something quite a few kickers in the NCAA do.  Alabama's kicker missed four against LSU and they get to go try again.

It just makes no sense, and leaves you wanting more.

Baltimore Ravens Win Their Super Bowl Again!

Someone needs to send a memo to the Baltimore Ravens and tell them that Gatorade baths are supposed to be reserved for when you actually win a championship.  These idiots have already doused head coach John Harbaugh twice this year after two regular season victories. 

The first one was after the Ravens beat division rival Pittsburgh to complete a regular season sweep.  While I could POSSIBLY understand that one, there’s no excuse for dunking the coach after beating a completely overrated San Francisco team.

Here’s a newsflash for you Baltimore.  You haven’t won a damn thing yet!  The only thing that matters in the NFL is winning a championship, and other than Ray Lewis, who else on the Ravens knows what that feels like?  

Maybe you guys have some sort of endorsement deal where Gatorade pays you each $10,000 when your head coach takes a bath in energy drink.  Maybe John Harbaugh doesn’t bathe enough and this is the player’s way of cleaning him up.

Whatever the reason, you guys look like complete tools for celebrating a bunch of nothing.  Win a meaningful game in the playoffs for once then you’ll actually have something to celebrate.   

Seriously it’s laughable.  Maybe the rest of us deserve Gatorade baths for doing regular stuff.  Check out the hashtag #BaltimoreGatoradeBath for some great mocking of the Ravens.

I want a Gatorade bath for changing my son’s dirty diaper!  How about one for putting the toilet seat down? 

Maybe you guys got so tired of choking in the playoffs you’ll take any chance you can get to celebrate something.  Learn how to win with some dignity.  Act like you’ve been there before.  Oh wait...you haven't!

A Salute To Veterans

When I was a kid, I was taught to respect my elders.  Easy enough to do right?  If someone is older than you, you have to listen to them because they obviously know what they are doing.

There's only one problem with this line of thinking.  Age and experience don't always equal right.

I was taught as a kid that Penn State did things the right way.  I was taught that Joe Paterno demanded nothing but the best out of people.  He wanted his kids to do things the right way.   Unfortunately, as we all learned this week, that image of Penn State was nothing but a fancy mirage.

Our religious leaders in the Catholic faith have also faced their own demons for the same problem facing Penn State right now.  People looked the other way when they found out what a few priests were doing to kids. 

Political leaders are constantly found to be involved in scandals, whether it be sex scandals, kickbacks, political payoffs, lying, or what not.  I can't honestly believe a single word that comes out of a politician anymore, can you?

Financial leaders have also lost my trust as it seems like every month there's new meltdowns on the horizon.  Banks lent money to people who can't pay for mortgages and now the rest of us pay higher fees.  I better not get started on my rant about the nickel and diming of Americans via bank and credit card fees.

This brings me back to my original point.  Who is left for us to respect?

For me the answer is simple.  I'll tip my cap to the brave men and women who have served this country in our armed forces. 

Today is Veteran's Day, and I want to honor those who have sacrificed their time to freely do what they wish in order to protect this nation we live in.  Without their bravery, I wouldn't be free to blog about sports.

They are my true heroes, along with those who bravely serve in our police and fire departments.  Brave souls who risk their lives without a second thought all in the name of heroism.

They are the ones who deserve and receive my respect. 

Another Overhyped Quarterback...Ho Hum....

Excuse me if I refuse to buy into the hype ESPN tries to force down my throat every week.   It's always some up and coming quarterback ready to take their slot in the upper echelon of the NFL.

Last year it was Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman.  This year we have Tim Tebow, who gets more hype than guys who have proven it time and time again. 

I get the fact he's a "good character" who loves God and all, and loves to do his Tebowing on the field to show God praise, but as a quarterback he flat out sucks.   He should be praying to God every night for some quarterback ability.  I know God works miracles, but even that one might be out of his reach.

Tebow has played 14 games now as a quarterback and has a completion percentage of 48.1%  He got a ton of praise for beating Miami, who last I checked was an awful football team (0-7).  Why?  He completed less than half of his passes.  161 yards isn't exactly awe-inspiring

I know he's a solid threat running the ball, but he's a joke as a passer.  Still not sure why the Denver Broncos thought it was a good idea to blow a first round pick on him.  I remember laughing hysterically when they announced the pick, and I'm still laughing today.

Why don't the genuinely great passers in the league get more recognition?  Philip Rivers blew another game for the Chargers last night, and you keep reading articles about how Tony Romo can turn it around because he's great. 

You don't see much about Ben Roethlisberger except a bunch of haters commenting about his legal issues.  Is that the real reason ESPN and the other sports media outlets cling so tightly to Tebow?  In the hopes he magically becomes a great quarterback with strong morals that won't let them down?

I don't care about morals on a sports team, give me a winner with talent.  These guys aren't my role models in life.  In fact people who worship these guys and put them on a pedestal need to get their priorities straight.  These athletes care about themselves first and the only reason they acknowledge any of us is because the teams that pay their salaries MAKE them do it. 

I wonder who the Bronco fans would rather have leading their team right now.  Ben Roethlisberger or Tim Tebow.  I know who my choice is.

The Raiders gave up WHAT for Carson Palmer?

Today was the NFL trading deadline, and the Carson Palmer era ended in Cincinnati as he was dealt to the Raiders for a 2012 first round pick and a conditional 2013 pick.  If the Raiders make it to the AFC Championship game, the 2013 pick upgrades from a 2nd round pick to a first round pick.

My first thought was that the Raiders are idiots for giving up two elite draft picks for a guy who has never even won a playoff game.  Upon second glance, I'm pretty convinced this is the right assessment.

My second thought was that it's a shame a division rival got such a great deal for a player who was never going to see the field for them again.  I'd be worried about them getting premium players with those draft picks but then I consoled myself with the fact the Bengals usually screw up their top picks. 

Palmer is a guy who has not been the same since suffering a knee injury against the Steelers the year they went on to win Super Bowl XL.  I don't know how much he can bring to the table considering he hasn't taken a significant snap in what, 7 or 8 months? 

The receivers he has in Oakland are nowhere near as good as what he had in his prime for the Bengals.  I just don't think he's going to help them out all that much. 

To each their own, and I guess we'll see what he's able to do.

F-Yeah Nyjer Morgan!

The deciding game five of the NLDS between the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks came down to the ninth inning when former Pittsburgh Pirate Nyjer Morgan drove in the winning run to become a playoff hero.

His on field heroics were quickly overshadowed by his post game antics.  As the TBS field reporter was interviewing Ryan Bruan, an exhuberant and ecstatic Morgan was whooping it up on the field screaming "F-Yeah!" to anyone who would listen.  The reporter put the microphone directly in front of Morgan and his vulgarity was amplified to all of the TBS viewing audience.

I know offensive language is called "offensive" for a reason, but I honestly think people need to chill out.  It has to be very exciting for these players to bring home Milwaukee's first postseason series win since 1982.  Considering I've only been alive since the late 70's, let's just say it has been a long time coming for the Brew Crew.

These aren't automatons playing the game for our enjoyment, they are flesh and blood emotional humans just like us.  We're all guilty of using the lord's name in vain when someone cuts us off in traffic.  We all give the single finger salute to people who piss us off.

Nobody is perfect, and isn't that what makes us unique?

People riding Morgan today about what he did need to lighten up.  People take themselves way too seriously anymore, and everything we do in life is so freaking politically correct it makes me sick. 

I'll stop that tangent right now before this becomes a political rant.

I wish more people remembered the fact that baseball at its heart is a game.  These players are supposed to play for the enjoyment of the game.  I find it refreshing to see someone actually act human after a big win.  It's a change of pace.

Pittsburgh fans will remember Greg Lloyd's reaction after the Steelers survived a hail mary pass from the Colts to advance to Super Bowl XXX.  They'll also remember Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko, who is a relatively calm guy, losing it a bit and dropping an F bomb after a huge win over Notre Dame. 

As I said, nobody's perfect.  If you want to blame anyone for this whole mess, blame TBS for not having a way to dump the feed.  Blame the reporter for shoving a mic directly in the way of a guy screaming expletives.  If not for her, none of us would have even heard Morgan swearing.

It all comes back to emotions, and I for one am glad to see some players still have them.

NFL: How Well Does Terrelle Pryor Fit In With The Pittsburgh Steelers?

Weeks of speculation concerning the NFL Supplemental Draft will come to a close tomorrow, and I think it is safe to say that all eyes will be on Terrelle Pryor.
Depending on who you ask, one of the leading contenders to land the kid seems to be the Pittsburgh Steelers.  I'll admit this is a bit shocking because the old adage is usually about how the Steelers avoid guys with character issues. 

Investing a high draft pick in this kid, even if it's a 2012 pick, would certainly send a signal that it's about getting the players you feel give you the best chance to win, regardless of their background. 

Is that the message the Steelers are prepared to send?

I've been reading multiple news outlets online and many think that some team will deem Pryor worth a second or third round pick.  It's hard to argue either way, as the kid is 6'5" and ran a 4.4 40 at his Pro Day.

If you are going to burn a 3rd round pick on this kid he's going to be guaranteed a roster spot.  The question now becomes who is going to lose a spot to him on the roster?  Keep in mind you would be without him for 5 games because of suspension.

At quarterback, you have Byron Leftwich, Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch already competing for a roster spot.  If you are going to bring in Pryor to be the third QB, which two are you cutting to fit him on the roster? 

If you are eyeing him as a running back that would certainly mean the end of Jonathan Dwyer's time as a Steeler. 

How about wide receiver where the Steelers are already facing some tough cuts.  You already have a strong receiving corps with Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, and Jerricho Cotchery, plus Arnaz Battle and Tyler Grisham competing for a spot. 

The Steelers don't just throw away picks, so they'd have to be sure of what they are getting. 

I'll admit I am curious to see what kind of role he can fill in the NFL, but there's a lot of baggage that comes with him.  Tales of his arrogance, and how he may or may not be a team player don't make me very easy as a fan of the black and gold.

I've learned not to doubt the moves that Kevin Colbert makes in his attempts to make this team a Super Bowl contender, and if he thinks Pryor can help the team, then he is probably right.

I just hope if the move is made, that the price was worth it.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend....RIP Kenny "Lemonade Guy" Geidel

The news spread today that Pirates/Penguins Vendor Kenny Geidel passed away yesterday.  Known for his distinctive cry of "LEMONAAAAAAADDDDDDDDEEEEEEEE" and "Cotton Candy 'ere!", fans were always on the lookout for him whenever they were at a game.

He was a vendor for the Pirates and Penguins since 1985, and hardly ever missed a game.  I know any game I ever went to he was there, focused completely on selling his products.  I loved how he knew to pause and make sure he wasn't blocking someone's view during a play. 

The games just won't be the same without you Kenny! 

Pirates owner Bob Nutting had this to say about Kenny Geidel, "He was part of the fabric of the experience at PNC Park. Our thoughts & prayers go to his family & friends."

Michael McDonald, district manager for Aramark, said “He certainly was one of the ‘characters’ that added to the sporting event experience and had quite a following among the Pittsburgh fan base. He will be missed.”

Kenny was popular and had followings on YouTube and Facebook.

The Pirates will also have a moment of silence before tonight's game against the Dodgers in honor of Geidel.  Where else but Pittsburgh do you honor stadium vendors?  Gotta love that about this town.

Who are we left with for stadium entertainment now?  The singing usher?  It just won't be the same.

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!

I know this is a sports blog, but the news breaking tonight that Osama Bin Laden is dead is simply incredible.

I remember the absolute horror and emptiness I felt on 9-11-01 as I watched the footage of airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center, and the subsequent collapse of the twin towers.

I remember the fear I felt when I heard one of the wayward planes was flying over Pennsylvania.  It was a day no one who lived through it will ever forget.

When they interrupted the TV show my wife and I were watching, we both kind of said, "This better be good...."

Not only is the news good but it is absolutely amazing. 

I am so proud of my country for finally ending this man's reign of terror.  I am so proud of the troops who finally brought justice to all of the innocent lives that were lost on that fateful day as a result of Bin Laden's insidious plot.

The world is a safer place tonight....

Looking For Some Pittsburgh Power Talk? You Got It!

If you're looking for someone who is actually talking about the Pittsburgh Power in this town, you've found me!

I co-host the Power Plant with Mike Micco on Wednesday Nights at 9 PM online (pghpower.wordpress.com), and will also be hosting my own show dedicated to the Pittsburgh Power on TribLive Radio starting soon. 

Other than radio coverage of Power games, and brief mentions of scores in their updates, do you hear 93.7 The Fan talking about the Power?  Not a word!  Their hosts Vinnie and Cook claim there's no buzz about the team.  That's because they won't talk about the team.  Vinnie dedicated an hour to Dancing With The Stars?  Really?  Give me a break!

I promise to bring you the latest and greatest information about our Arena Football team.  Tune in and join the uprising!

Taking The Next Step

I am venturing into the world of online radio.  Starting tonight, and every Wednesday night, I will be co-hosting the online talk show "The Power Plant" with Mike Micco.

The show will air LIVE at 9 PM EST, and we would love to have callers join us on the show. 

We will be discussing everything related to the Pittsburgh Power and relevant AFL news as well.

I installed a widget on the blog with a link to the show.  If you want to participate, the info is found at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/95534.  You can also visit pghpower.wordpress.com for the latest updates!

Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee Proves What Is Wrong with College Football

Ohio State University’s president, E. Gordon Gee, recently made comments about how Boise State and TCU don’t deserve the opportunity to play for a national championship because they don’t play as tough of a schedule week in and week out as Ohio State does.

I forgot that Ohio State is playing top ten caliber teams every week in the Big Ten. How did that ever slip past me? Oh wait that’s because it simply isn’t true. There are some strong teams in the conference to be sure, but this isn’t like the Big East’s basketball program where there are usually about eight teams ranked in the top 25 at any given moment. That’s a conference schedule that’s truly a gauntlet.

Based on his logic, a team from the Big East football conference deserves a chance before Boise State or TCU. Yes the same BCS qualifying conference that doesn’t have a team with more than seven wins at the moment.

The top teams from the traditionally strong conferences won’t schedule Boise State. TCU may be on the verge of joining the Big East, but given how “strong” that conference is this year, TCU could win it next year and still hear the arguments of how they don’t play anyone.

Even last year, the BCS committee was unwilling to give Boise State and TCU the chance to prove what they could do against major conference teams. They chose to have the two outsiders play each other instead. Someone tell me how that gave either program the chance to prove how good they are.

Mid major schools have been proving their mettle by winning some big games over the past few years. Utah has defeated Pittsburgh and Alabama in BCS bowls within the past few years. Boise State defeated Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. When given the chance to prove it, they’ve stepped up.

How many times has Ohio State gone to major bowl games, including national championship games, and lost? Maybe they were just tired from “running the gauntlet” week in and week out. I forgot how challenging it was to play teams like Ohio, Marshall, and Eastern Michigan.

Gee went on to say that the traditional bowl system is better for the game than the BCS. He claimed that by having a true playoff system, the game would move closer to the point of professionalism. That’s got to be the lamest excuse against a playoff I’ve ever heard.

I have a newsflash for you Mr. Gee; college football would be a lot more exciting if they actually came up with a legitimate way to give the top teams a chance to prove their worth on the field.

How amazing would it be if the big conferences accepted the challenge of these schools instead of making excuses for why they aren’t worthy?

How about a trendsetter emerges to propose a true playoff system and give a chance to those teams that earn it on the field?

Put your money where your mouth is Mr. Gee and tell your athletic director that you want him to schedule a series with Boise State. I mean if your team is so much better, why not take the chance to put the Broncos in their place.

I guess you’re just afraid that your “battle-tested” team will be too tired from running the “gauntlet” of the Big Ten.

I still hold out hope that college football will eventually do what’s right and adopt a playoff system.

Until that happens, all we’re left with is a bunch of blowhard university presidents who freely admit they don’t know the “X’s and O’s” of football. Maybe next time you shouldn’t comment on something you don’t understand Mr. Gee.

Joe Paterno's 400th Win: Like Watching Your Grandpa Achieve His Lifelong Dream

Due to parental responsibilities, I got a late start watching the football game between Northwestern and Penn State this weekend. By the time I turned on the game, it was already 21-0 in favor of the visiting Wildcats.

It turned out I was just in time to watch a truly great comeback by my beloved Nittany Lions.

I'm not sure why I felt calm and so sure of the comeback, but it may have been my grandfather's spirit telling me to enjoy what was about to happen. My grandfather Edward was one of the first people who made me a lifelong Penn State fan. He also was about three months apart in age from Joe Paterno.

Maybe that's why watching Penn State football always makes me feel like I am watching my own grandfather out there coaching up the troops. My "Pap" always liked JoePa because of what he stood for on and off the field. He always commented on how Paterno would never rub victory in the face of his opponent by running up the score intentionally.

He always mentioned how Paterno would show nothing but respect for the opponent he was facing, even if it was a game PSU was 99 percent sure to win.

Think about it, have you ever heard Paterno disrespect an opponent before in your life?

I didn't think so.

In today's world of sports, success is fleeting, and it seems like head coaches are always being fired for having a bad season. I've been pretty fortunate to root for two teams that believe in stability at the head coaching position, the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and, of course, the Penn State Nittany Lions.

As the final moments unwound on victory number 400, I found myself watching in amazement that an 83-year-old man who is constantly being told that the game has passed him by continues to fly in the face of logic and win games for Penn State.

After the final gun sounded, Paterno was greeted by two of his offensive linemen, who picked the old coach up (very carefully, of course) on their shoulders and began to carry him reluctantly for just a little bit. Paterno deserved this moment. He always tries to deflect the spotlight away from himself and his players and onto the next opponent, but this moment deserved to be his and his alone.

It was nice to see him smile and enjoy it.

I was especially touched when Joe's wife Sue found her way to him and the two enjoyed a moment together. It was like seeing your own grandparents unafraid to share their love for each other even after so many years of marriage.

I think that's why this day and this moment were so uplifting to me. It was almost like seeing my own grandfather achieve his dreams.

That's why I know I'm in no hurry to see Joe Paterno retire from coaching. He's like a grandfather to me, and God knows we should treasure every moment with our grandparents before they are gone forever.

Joe Paterno is the embodiment of everything our parents taught us growing up. Be respectful, teach them the right way, not the wrong way. Above all else, with 400 collegiate victories, I think he’s proved that he knew what he was talking about all along.

Hats off to you, Joe.

Think you have another 100 in you?

The Cleveland Browns Are The Biggest Pushovers In The NFL

In a preseason game, the Detroit Lions star rookie lineman Ndamukong Suh slams your quarterback to the ground by his facemask. What do you do? Nothing. No one even got up in his face about it.

Against the hated Pittsburgh Steelers, their linebacker James Harrison lays a crushing blow on your best offensive weapon, knocking him from the game. What do you do? Nothing.

In that same game, that very same linebacker throws another crushing hit on one of your other top offensive weapons. Again, what do you do? Nothing. In face one of your players childishly kicks the ball out of bounds.

How one sided has the matchup been with Pittsburgh? You've beaten them a whopping three times since 1999. It should have been four, but your team got extremely soft in an epic playoff match and you blew a nice comfortable lead.

Pushovers.

Quick. Name me one player on the Cleveland defense that intimidates anyone. People are afraid of Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, LaMar Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Clark. They will all throw a major hit on you.

Your wide receivers are always afraid of taking big hits over the middle and often drop the ball. Massaquoi was already bracing for that hit early from Harrison.

The loudest and most noticeable opposition to what happened on the field Sunday comes from the fan base. Uninformed football fans crying for Harrison's head and begging that he gets suspended when all he did was play football. Quite a few former NFL players agree those hits by Harrison were just good, hard hits. It's a crime he got fined for it.

The Browns simply don't know what physical football is anymore. If they did, maybe they would have made the playoffs more than once since their 1999 return to the league. Heck, maybe they should try to finish somewhere other than last place as a stepping stone along the way to being even mediocre.

I'm willing to bet 99% of the Browns fan base is thrilled with all the threats to curtail physical play. I mean, it can't possibly hurt a team that doesn't play that way in the first place. In fact it might even the odds a bit and let the Browns start winning some football games again.

Mike Holmgren is the perfect hire for your organization. Someone with lots of experience whining after the Steelers beat him. He fired James Brown, the only person with any guts in your organization. It's pretty sad when the only person the Browns push around is arguably the team's greatest former player.

Oh well, get used to it. It's going to be a long time before the Browns change their philosophies and get back on the right path. Of course it would help if your team grew a pair first.

Why the NHL needs to use Instant Replay to review Blindside hits

I'm sure by now many of you have heard about how the NHL is cracking down on blindside and lateral hits on players. It's called Rule 48 (http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=64063).

According to the NHL official rule 48.1, a lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact is not permitted. It carries a five minute major penalty and automatic game misconduct. A match penalty can also be enforced if the referees determine the player intended to deliberately harm his opponent with the hit.

I am all for rule 48 as it helps curtail much of the "Dirty" play in the NHL. Go ahead and get rid of the cheap shot artists but at the same time we have to be careful as vicious hits (legal ones) will always be a fun part of the game. Don't like it? Don't lace 'em up.

However with many of the accompanying penalties now associated with this rule, isn't it also important to make sure the player in question actually committed the crime?

A prime example of how this rule was implemented unfairly was in a recent game involving the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders. New York forward Blake Comeau was entering the Penguin's offensive zone and was skating with his head down. Penguin Defensemen Kris Letang came in and laid a shoulder to shoulder hit which knocked Comeau to the ground. During the collision Comeau's helmet went flying.

The referees quickly enforced Rule 48 and issued a five minute major and game misconduct to Letang because they thought Letang made contact with Comeau's head, however the Jumbotron cameras and replays clearly showed this was not the case. The league even later rescinded the penalty based on the clear evidence that Letang's hit was legal.

Given the severe penalties facing a player who might be unfairly called for an infraction of this rule, shouldn't a replay judge at least take a good look to make sure it was in fact a hit to the head? In many cases the player who suffered the hit is lying prone on the ice, so have a replay judge take a look then and there, while the game is already delayed.

In the case of Letang, he was thrown out of the game and the Penguins, who had a 2-0 lead at the time, had to kill the five minute major. The Islanders scored one goal during the power play, and a second one a few seconds after the power play expired to tie the game up at 2. In addition to the score impact, the Penguins were forced to play the rest of the game shorthanded on defense. The blown call had a major effect on the outcome of the game.

Again I want to be clear I am not against Rule 48, I just want to make sure it's implemented properly. It's only fair...

Bullying the Broad Street Bullies

Daniel Briere drew first blood, but it was a river of orange blood that flowed for the remainder of the game. The Penguins (3-3) scored 5 unanswered goals on their way to a convincing 5-1 win Saturday night over the rival Philadelphia Flyers (2-2-1). The win avenged last week’s win in Pittsburgh by Philadelphia.

The Penguin power play continued to struggle early on with an 0 for 4 start. As the game progressed the Penguins started taking more shots on goal on the power play and finally showed signs of waking up from hibernation with two power play goals by Sidney Crosby.

Mark Letestu continued his strong 2011 campaign scoring his third goal of the season. He battled hard in front of the net, before getting his stick free just enough to poke the puck past goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky, who had looked stellar in last week’s win over Pittsburgh, seemed to come back to earth a bit in this one.

What can you say about Penguin backup goaltender Brent Johnson? He continued to make some huge saves early in the game to keep it tied at 1, and then in the 3rd period he continued to keep the Flyers off the board. Just look at this difference in stats. Johnson is now 3-0, sporting a 1.32 GAA, as well as a .953 save percentage. Marc-Andre Fleury on the other hand is carrying an 0-3 record, a 3.41 GAA, and an .853 save percentage.

I never thought I’d say this but you just might have a goaltender controversy in Pittsburgh. Head coach Dan Bylsma was clearly not happy with Fleury’s play through 3 games and as a result Brent Johnson has gotten, and made the most of, his opportunity. It should be very interesting to see who ends up in net against Ottawa on Monday night.

Bylsma should probably ride the hot goaltender until Brent Johnson cools off. He’s flat out been the better player so far, and I think that should earn him some more playing time. At the same time, Fleury is the long term option in goal, and you really need to give him a chance to redeem himself. It’s a tough decision to be sure, but I’m sure Bylsma already has an idea how he is going to handle it.

As it stands, the Penguins have dug out of the early 1-3 start and are starting to play better hockey. It’ll be fun to see how good this team is once they get Jordan Staal, Zbynek Michalek, and Brooks Orpik back.