As I have written before, the ever-growing number of students-athletes that leave their respective sport in hopes of netting lucrative professional contracts is distressing. The latest addition to that list is just plain perplexing.
Tennessee junior forward Candace Parker announced through coach Pat Summit Thursday that she will forgo her senior season on Rocky Top to pursue a professional career.
Seriously? I mean, April Fool's is still six weeks away!
Ok, let's begin by looking at the positives for Parker leaving early. She has already won a national championship with the Lady Vols. Parker is an exemplary student-athlete and will graduate this semester. What's more, Parker will compete in the Beijing Olympics this summer and likely win a gold medal with Team USA's Women's Basketball team. In all, a degree, national title and gold medal is a pretty hefty purse to tote to the WNBA.
And therein lies the rub.
The WNBA.
Maybe someone at Tennessee forgot to tell Candace WNBA salaries are not exactly on par with those of their male counterparts in pro basketball. In fact, the rookie salary in the WNBA hovers right around $30,000. No, there are no zeroes missing. Thirty grand! The maximum salary last season was $100,000.
Instead of remaining in Knoxville for her senior season and playing on national television for the most historic women's basketball program in NCAA history, Parker will relegate herself to virtual obscurity in a league no one cares about. While the Lady Vols play in front of more than 15,000 fans a night, only Detroit drew more than 9,000 fans a game last season in the WNBA.
What's a successful women's baller to do? The path has actually already been paved by a former Lady Vol, Kara Lawson. Parker needs to build more notoriety during one more season with the Lady Vols. Then join the WNBA and work as a NCAA analyst for ESPN during the WNBA off season, as Lawson does. Parker is attractive and obviously bright since she is graduating early from UT. Her accolades as a Lady Vol make her more than qualified to hold down the post.
Just stay away from the post in the WNBA for as long as possible.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Giant Disagreement
Go ahead. Admit it.
It's OK. You are probably one of the millions of people whose head hit the pillow Sunday night thinking, "That was the best Super Bowl of all time."
And why wouldn't you think that? Football God knows there is plenty of evidence to support your claim. The unbeatable Patriots are upset on their quest for 19-0. Eli Manning outduels Tom Brady. David Tyree's circus one-hand-against-the-helmet catch. Surely this was an epic clash. Heck, a Super Bowl record 97.5 million people tuned in. Only the M.A.S.H series finale can claim to have had a larger viewership.
On the other hand, I almost went to bed during the game.
Now, let me be fair. The final 11 minutes of the 4th quarter could quite possible be considered the greatest 11 minutes in Super Bowl history. After an offensively offensive day, two marquee quarterbacks led their team on clutch drives, answering the other each time to reclaim the lead. However, the game as a whole was severely lacking.
For a team purporting to be the greatest in NFL history, the New England Patriots could not even make the claim to be the best team on the field at university of Phoenix Stadium Sunday. An offensive line the boasts three Pro Bowlers allowed Brady to be sacked five times and hurried an additional nine times. The line was equally inept in their run blocking, paving the way for a grand total of 45 net rushing yards. Perhaps the guys were thinking about Hawaii's blue skies and Mai Tai's a week too soon.
Undoubtedly, there are those that will credit the Giants defense for the Patriots' struggles. And much of that praise in warranted. The Giants defensive line was a stronger, faster, more determined bunch all evening, and it showed -- until the point when it mattered most! After Manning drove for the go ahead score in the final frame, that vaunted Giants defense grabbed the throat, allowing Tom Brady to methodically march 80 yards in 12 plays, chewing up more than five minutes off the game clock. So much for 'Defense Wins Championships.' The Giants D almost lost this one.
But not for Eli Manning. Sort of.
The game's MVP won the award almost by default. The Pats held the edge on first downs, while the Giants totaled more net yards. Time of possession was even. Both teams were 50 percent on third-down conversions. Neither team cracked 100 yards rushing. Until Manning hit David Tyree for a score at the 11:05 mark of the 4th quarter, the MVP had guided his team to a grand total of three points in the game! And that chip shot figgie came on the game's first possession after Manning failed to get his team in the endzone following a 16 play drive that ate up ten minutes to open the game.
Manning won the honor based on his work on the Giants' game-winning drive. Surely Super Bowl history will look at David Tyree's catch as among the greatest in the game's history. Rightfully so. Manning eluded two New England defenders who had him in their grasp to scramble around, buying just enough time to loft a dying duck to Tyree who fought off Rodney Harrison's blanket coverage with one hand while pinning the ball against his helmet with the other. Thirty-two yards later, we have a play that will buy Tyree free meals in New York City for the rest of his life and a highlight reel staple for decades.
What we will probably never see again is the play before that one. It is a play that could have been equally as memorable in Patriots lore as it would have sealed 19-0 and a fourth Super Bowl title in seven seasons. Manning miscommunicated with his receiver and lofted a pass down the right sideline. As Tyree cut his rout short, All Pro corner Asante Samuel was waiting in perfect position to snag the INT and seal the win for the Patriots. Samuel jumped, opened his hands, and then forgot to close them. The ball passed through Samuel's hands, falling helplessly to the turf, allowing Manning the opportunity to hit Tyree for the big gainer on the next play. Manning was thisclose to being the goat and Samuel the hero.
But that was the story of this game: great NFL players consistently making goofs. Steve Smith allowed a ball to bounce off his hands in the second quarter, tossing it into the hands of Ellis Hobbs of the Patriots. Eli Manning held the ball like a loaf of bread, fumbling twice after being hit by patriots defenders. The Pats defense could not receover either fumble, despite having numbers around it both times. There were dropped interceptions, missed receivers, shanked kick-offs, missed blocks, and even Tom Petty was boring at halftime. Seriously, could he have cared any less during that show? Maybe his last dance with Mary Jane took place in the bowels of University of Phoenix Satdium to entertain himself during an unentertaining first half.
There are football purists who will claim that they love a good old fashioned defensive ballgame. I have no problem with good defense. What I have a problem with is ineptitude on both sides of the ball. And there was plenty of that to go around Sunday. Just because a game is competitive, does not mean it is a quality product. I used to watch a minor leafue hockey team in Baton Rouge battle to 4-3 victories or shootout losses. The games were competitive, but the quality of play was lacking. That's what we were treated to Sunday: a competitive minor league hockey game.
Think of it this was: had this been a game between the Bengals and Chiefs in week 3, would you have watched? Not just no, but heck no!
Congratulations to Eli Manning and the Giants. You did what no one else could do this season -- beat the Patriots.
And you've duped America into believeing you did it all in Super fashion.
It's OK. You are probably one of the millions of people whose head hit the pillow Sunday night thinking, "That was the best Super Bowl of all time."
And why wouldn't you think that? Football God knows there is plenty of evidence to support your claim. The unbeatable Patriots are upset on their quest for 19-0. Eli Manning outduels Tom Brady. David Tyree's circus one-hand-against-the-helmet catch. Surely this was an epic clash. Heck, a Super Bowl record 97.5 million people tuned in. Only the M.A.S.H series finale can claim to have had a larger viewership.
On the other hand, I almost went to bed during the game.
Now, let me be fair. The final 11 minutes of the 4th quarter could quite possible be considered the greatest 11 minutes in Super Bowl history. After an offensively offensive day, two marquee quarterbacks led their team on clutch drives, answering the other each time to reclaim the lead. However, the game as a whole was severely lacking.
For a team purporting to be the greatest in NFL history, the New England Patriots could not even make the claim to be the best team on the field at university of Phoenix Stadium Sunday. An offensive line the boasts three Pro Bowlers allowed Brady to be sacked five times and hurried an additional nine times. The line was equally inept in their run blocking, paving the way for a grand total of 45 net rushing yards. Perhaps the guys were thinking about Hawaii's blue skies and Mai Tai's a week too soon.
Undoubtedly, there are those that will credit the Giants defense for the Patriots' struggles. And much of that praise in warranted. The Giants defensive line was a stronger, faster, more determined bunch all evening, and it showed -- until the point when it mattered most! After Manning drove for the go ahead score in the final frame, that vaunted Giants defense grabbed the throat, allowing Tom Brady to methodically march 80 yards in 12 plays, chewing up more than five minutes off the game clock. So much for 'Defense Wins Championships.' The Giants D almost lost this one.
But not for Eli Manning. Sort of.
The game's MVP won the award almost by default. The Pats held the edge on first downs, while the Giants totaled more net yards. Time of possession was even. Both teams were 50 percent on third-down conversions. Neither team cracked 100 yards rushing. Until Manning hit David Tyree for a score at the 11:05 mark of the 4th quarter, the MVP had guided his team to a grand total of three points in the game! And that chip shot figgie came on the game's first possession after Manning failed to get his team in the endzone following a 16 play drive that ate up ten minutes to open the game.
Manning won the honor based on his work on the Giants' game-winning drive. Surely Super Bowl history will look at David Tyree's catch as among the greatest in the game's history. Rightfully so. Manning eluded two New England defenders who had him in their grasp to scramble around, buying just enough time to loft a dying duck to Tyree who fought off Rodney Harrison's blanket coverage with one hand while pinning the ball against his helmet with the other. Thirty-two yards later, we have a play that will buy Tyree free meals in New York City for the rest of his life and a highlight reel staple for decades.
What we will probably never see again is the play before that one. It is a play that could have been equally as memorable in Patriots lore as it would have sealed 19-0 and a fourth Super Bowl title in seven seasons. Manning miscommunicated with his receiver and lofted a pass down the right sideline. As Tyree cut his rout short, All Pro corner Asante Samuel was waiting in perfect position to snag the INT and seal the win for the Patriots. Samuel jumped, opened his hands, and then forgot to close them. The ball passed through Samuel's hands, falling helplessly to the turf, allowing Manning the opportunity to hit Tyree for the big gainer on the next play. Manning was thisclose to being the goat and Samuel the hero.
But that was the story of this game: great NFL players consistently making goofs. Steve Smith allowed a ball to bounce off his hands in the second quarter, tossing it into the hands of Ellis Hobbs of the Patriots. Eli Manning held the ball like a loaf of bread, fumbling twice after being hit by patriots defenders. The Pats defense could not receover either fumble, despite having numbers around it both times. There were dropped interceptions, missed receivers, shanked kick-offs, missed blocks, and even Tom Petty was boring at halftime. Seriously, could he have cared any less during that show? Maybe his last dance with Mary Jane took place in the bowels of University of Phoenix Satdium to entertain himself during an unentertaining first half.
There are football purists who will claim that they love a good old fashioned defensive ballgame. I have no problem with good defense. What I have a problem with is ineptitude on both sides of the ball. And there was plenty of that to go around Sunday. Just because a game is competitive, does not mean it is a quality product. I used to watch a minor leafue hockey team in Baton Rouge battle to 4-3 victories or shootout losses. The games were competitive, but the quality of play was lacking. That's what we were treated to Sunday: a competitive minor league hockey game.
Think of it this was: had this been a game between the Bengals and Chiefs in week 3, would you have watched? Not just no, but heck no!
Congratulations to Eli Manning and the Giants. You did what no one else could do this season -- beat the Patriots.
And you've duped America into believeing you did it all in Super fashion.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Super Silly Senator
Clearly the United States Senate is not busy enough.
Finding a way out of Iraq must not be challenging enough for elected officials.
Neither is battling drug problems, swelling illegal immigration, teen pregnancy, an inevitible recession, global warming, the Kennedy Assassination, Hannah Montanta, and Big Foot.
Our infrastructure must be perfect. Foreign relations could not be better.
Nope. Our very capable U.S. Senate must have all of those challenges nipped in the bud.
That is the only logical explanation why Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) chose Super Bowl Sunday to announce his investigation into the NFL's response to Sypgate -- the scandal involving the New England Patriots filming opposing coaches to steal signals.
Yes, a man who has spent nearly 30 years in the United States Senate is investigating if the NFL properly punished cheaters. Maybe next, Specter will seek a retroactive punishment against wide receivers who used Stickum to help catch passes.
In a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Specter wrote, "I am very concerned about the underlying facts on the taping, the reasons for the judgment on the limited penalties and, most of all, on the inexplicable destruction of the tapes."
Let's examine Specter's concerns one at a time. The underlying facts on the taping are quite simple: a coach was trying to help his team win. He had peons in the Patriots organization film opposing coaches and he got caught by a former assistant now with another team who was hip to the practice. Are we clear?
As for the "limited penalties", nothing could be farther from the truth. The $500,000 fine levied against Patriots coach Bill Belichick is the maximum possible penalty. Also, the Patriots must pay an additional $250,000 fine and forfeit their first-round choice in the 2008 NFL Draft -- a first in NFL history. That hardly seems "limited."
And after the NFL confiscated the six tapes from the Patriots and conducted a thorough review of their contents, they were destroyed. Last week, Goodell said, "There are very good explanations why the tapes were destroyed by our staff -- there was no purpose for them." Simply, the Pats got caught. The NFL punished them. Public opinion will decide how history judges their dynasty. End of story.
Hardly. Specter tells ESPN's Bob Ley the investigation could broaden. Says Specter, "We're going to follow the facts and if warranted, there could be hearings." Hearings! As in Senate hearings! As in United States taxpayer dollars funding a charade where self-important Senators drill NFL officials about a game. I know I'll sure sleep soundly tonight knowing these are the people deciding policy that affects my country. Maybe next month the Senate could televise hearings into the inexplicable disappearance of slap bracelets.
Specter claims his investigation is centered around possible Antitrust violations stemming from Spygate. Antitrust laws were put into place to prohibit anti-competitive behavior which hurts businesses or consumers. Spygate hardly seems to have hurt business in the NFL. Maybe Sen. Specter missed the Nielsen Ratings from Super Bowl XLII which estimates more than 97 million people tuned in to the game, making it the second most-watched event in television history -- a game involving those same darn cheating Pats, coincidentially.
I wonder if FOX was upset about collecting $2.7 million per ad during the game.
I doubt QVC felt the pain of unfair competition when more than half of their championship merchandise was sold within 60 seconds of the conclusion of Sunday's game.
And I wonder if the New York Giants felt they were at a disadvantage when they pistol-whipped the Patriots for 60 minutes during the Super Bowl.
So sleep easy tonight, my fellow Americans. Our diligent law makers have solved poverty, homelessness, and gang violence. Terrorism is a thing of the past. High school dropouts are no more. And we know what happened to Natalee Holloway.
The NFL has never been helathier, more popular or more profitable.
And apparently, the U.S. Senate has never had less to do.
Finding a way out of Iraq must not be challenging enough for elected officials.
Neither is battling drug problems, swelling illegal immigration, teen pregnancy, an inevitible recession, global warming, the Kennedy Assassination, Hannah Montanta, and Big Foot.
Our infrastructure must be perfect. Foreign relations could not be better.
Nope. Our very capable U.S. Senate must have all of those challenges nipped in the bud.
That is the only logical explanation why Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) chose Super Bowl Sunday to announce his investigation into the NFL's response to Sypgate -- the scandal involving the New England Patriots filming opposing coaches to steal signals.
Yes, a man who has spent nearly 30 years in the United States Senate is investigating if the NFL properly punished cheaters. Maybe next, Specter will seek a retroactive punishment against wide receivers who used Stickum to help catch passes.
In a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Specter wrote, "I am very concerned about the underlying facts on the taping, the reasons for the judgment on the limited penalties and, most of all, on the inexplicable destruction of the tapes."
Let's examine Specter's concerns one at a time. The underlying facts on the taping are quite simple: a coach was trying to help his team win. He had peons in the Patriots organization film opposing coaches and he got caught by a former assistant now with another team who was hip to the practice. Are we clear?
As for the "limited penalties", nothing could be farther from the truth. The $500,000 fine levied against Patriots coach Bill Belichick is the maximum possible penalty. Also, the Patriots must pay an additional $250,000 fine and forfeit their first-round choice in the 2008 NFL Draft -- a first in NFL history. That hardly seems "limited."
And after the NFL confiscated the six tapes from the Patriots and conducted a thorough review of their contents, they were destroyed. Last week, Goodell said, "There are very good explanations why the tapes were destroyed by our staff -- there was no purpose for them." Simply, the Pats got caught. The NFL punished them. Public opinion will decide how history judges their dynasty. End of story.
Hardly. Specter tells ESPN's Bob Ley the investigation could broaden. Says Specter, "We're going to follow the facts and if warranted, there could be hearings." Hearings! As in Senate hearings! As in United States taxpayer dollars funding a charade where self-important Senators drill NFL officials about a game. I know I'll sure sleep soundly tonight knowing these are the people deciding policy that affects my country. Maybe next month the Senate could televise hearings into the inexplicable disappearance of slap bracelets.
Specter claims his investigation is centered around possible Antitrust violations stemming from Spygate. Antitrust laws were put into place to prohibit anti-competitive behavior which hurts businesses or consumers. Spygate hardly seems to have hurt business in the NFL. Maybe Sen. Specter missed the Nielsen Ratings from Super Bowl XLII which estimates more than 97 million people tuned in to the game, making it the second most-watched event in television history -- a game involving those same darn cheating Pats, coincidentially.
I wonder if FOX was upset about collecting $2.7 million per ad during the game.
I doubt QVC felt the pain of unfair competition when more than half of their championship merchandise was sold within 60 seconds of the conclusion of Sunday's game.
And I wonder if the New York Giants felt they were at a disadvantage when they pistol-whipped the Patriots for 60 minutes during the Super Bowl.
So sleep easy tonight, my fellow Americans. Our diligent law makers have solved poverty, homelessness, and gang violence. Terrorism is a thing of the past. High school dropouts are no more. And we know what happened to Natalee Holloway.
The NFL has never been helathier, more popular or more profitable.
And apparently, the U.S. Senate has never had less to do.
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