Friday, April 29, 2011

DE Heyward No. 1 Steelers pick- Buckeye Players traded, sold 36 items - NCAA Allegations Reveal Mystery Player “G”



Ohio State DE Heyward No. 1 Steelers pick
His father Craig was star running back at Pitt
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


Maybe not as good a story as the Pouncey twins, but the Steelers played their own game of all in the family when they drafted Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward on the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night.
Born in Pittsburgh, he follows in the shoes of his father, the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, a Pitt running back who also was drafted in the first round, by the New Orleans Saints at No. 24 in 1988. His mother, Charlotte Heyward-Blackwell, is a Pittsburgh native.
"I know he's watching," Heyward said of his father. "I'm going to try to do everything to make him proud of me and live his legacy on."
Heyward, who lived in Monroeville as a youngster, has plenty of family in Pittsburgh, including uncle Nate Heyward, who followed in his brother Craig's shoes as a running back at Pitt.
"Aunts, grandparents, uncle ... I know Pittsburgh pretty well," said Heyward, who currently lives in Suwanee, Ga., and said he visits Pittsburgh twice annually.
"I've always loved the team, I'm from there ... To be somewhere you want to be is an unbelievable feeling."
Steelers officials say they were overjoyed to draft Heyward and never thought of anyone else when their turn came at No. 31.
"We feel this is one of those special players I talked about the other day," said Kevin Colbert, the team's director of football operations. "It's hard to find a hole with this guy. This is a special moment."
Heyward (6 feet 51/2, 288 pounds) is the second defensive end drafted on the first round by the Steelers in the past three years and their third consecutive lineman. They took defensive end Ziggy Hood No. 1 in 2009 and center Maurkice Pouncey last year.
"Fortifying the line of scrimmage," coach Mike Tomlin called it.
Heyward started all four seasons at Ohio State and was a Lombardi Award semifinalist last season for the best defensive lineman in the country. Tomlin called him an "A-Plus" in character and said he can push the pocket, rush the passer and stop the run.
He has earned his degree from Ohio State, so he will be eligible to participate in all the Steelers' spring practices and workouts (provided there is no further lockout).
"He's not only a mature young man, he's a mature player," Tomlin said. "I think he's capable of doing it all."
The Steelers chances to get one of their most highly rated prospects improved when four quarterbacks were drafted in the first dozen picks, two more than almost anyone had predicted. A handful of other picks -- Seattle's choice of guard/tackle James Carpenter, Kansas City picking Pitt wide receiver Jon Baldwin and New Orleans taking running back Mark Ingram -- also aided the Steelers.
"Every pick that comes off of guys we wouldn't be considering, our odds increased" of getting the player they wanted, Colbert said.
They resisted trading away valuable draft choices to move higher in the first round, as at least one report on NFL.com said they were trying to do to draft Maurkice Pouncey's twin, Mike. The Miami Dolphins drafted the center-guard with the 15th pick.
Colbert said they received only mild inquiries from other teams to trade and never made any serious offers of their own.









Report: Players traded, sold 36 items

Ohio State football players are alleged to have improperly traded dozens of items to the owner of a tattoo parlor, receiving tattoos, $14,000 and in one case a sport-utility vehicle, according to a newspaper report.
The report by The Columbus Dispatch says it obtained a letter Thursday that was sent from the U.S. Department of Justice to Ohio State officials in December. The document lists 36 items that players are said to have sold to Eddie Rife or traded for tattoos since 2008.
The newspaper reports that investigators say one player received a 2003 Chevy Tahoe, purchased by Rife for $3,500, in exchange for a watch and passes to the 2010 Rose Bowl.
Only a portion of the transactions were deemed violations by the NCAA, and five players have been suspended for the first five games of the upcoming season. A related NCAA investigation into coach Jim Tressel continues.





NCAA Allegations Reveal Mystery Player “G”
By Brandon Castel
Good article! Who do you think is player G? Leave your answer in the comments.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — At first glance, there wasn’t much “news” in the NCAA’s “notice of allegations” delivered to Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee on Monday.
According to Ohio State’s release, “The allegations are largely consistent with what the university self-reported to the NCAA on March 8, 2011, and which were widely covered in the media.”
The eight-page notice—which was preceded in perfect bureaucratic fashion by a six-page cover letter— read more like a filibuster. About the most interesting proclamation in the entire report was the fact the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions will consider Ohio State’s response to these allegations during their August 12 meeting in Indianapolis.
Another look at the fine print, however, reveals a much more significant detail; one that, until now, was omitted by both Ohio State and the NCAA: there was a previously undisclosed seventh OSU player who violated NCAA Bylaws between November 2008 and May 2010.
This mystery player, whose name was redacted from section “G” on the first page of the “Notice of Allegations,” was listed separately from the other six, and identified as a “then football student-athlete.”
Although he is apparently no longer a member of the Buckeye football team, this mystery player “G” was still a student-athlete at Ohio State when he allegedly sold his 2008 Big Ten championship ring ($1,500), his 2008 and ’09 gold pants charms from victories over Michigan ($250 each), a game helmet ($15) and a pair of game pants ($30) from the 2009 Michigan game, along with a watch from the 2010 Rose Bowl ($250).
The NCAA estimated the total value of those items at $2,430. This player, who appears to have left the football team after the 2009 season, also allegedly received a $55 discount on two tattoos as well as $100 for obtaining team autographs on two replica football helmets.
If that wasn’t enough, Rife also allegedly gave player “G” an estimated $2,420 discount on the purchase of a used vehicle, along with an $800 loan for vehicle repairs.
In all, player “G” received cash and discounts equaling an estimated $7,435 from Rife, making him by far the most egregious offender in the entire scandal.
Why is Player “G” a Mystery?
There is little doubt that the identity of player “G” will eventually be revealed, much like the author of Jim Tressel’s emails, Chris Cicero, and that of the person Tressel forwarded them to, Terrelle Pryor’s mentor Ted Sarniak.
Ohio State may even release the name, but whether or not they do, it is curious that the identity of this former player has been concealed for the last five months.
According to the first line of the NCAA’s “notice of allegations”, the university self-reported this former player along with the six current ones back in December. Yet, while the others prepare to serve their NCAA-mandated suspensions to begin the 2011 season, there has been no mention of this mystery player.
Until now, there was no outside knowledge of his existence and now player “G” may be the only one to walk away from the incident without facing the consequences.
While Ohio State has argued from the beginning that Pryor and his five teammates did not know that what they were doing was wrong at the time, there is little question that player “G” knowingly committed at least some of his violations.
The OSU compliance office addressed the team in November 2009 to educate players on the fact they could not sell items given to them by the university, but the NCAA allegations state that player “G” continued to sell his through May of 2010. He also knowingly accepted a discount of over $2,400 on a used vehicle as well as a loan of $800, two blatant NCAA violations that needed no explanation from the compliance department.
Six players and a head coach are suffering public consequences for their actions, yet the player who gained the most gets off without even being mentioned. What’s wrong with that picture?

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Peyton Hillis wins Madden 12 vote - NFL Draft Order Rounds 1 and 2


NFL Draft Order Rounds 1 and 2

Round 1
Pick (overall) Team
1 (1) Carolina Panthers
2 (2) Denver Broncos
3 (3) Buffalo Bills
4 (4) Cincinnati Bengals
5 (5) Arizona Cardinals
6 (6) Cleveland Browns
7 (7) San Francisco 49ers
8 (8) Tennessee Titans
9 (9) Dallas Cowboys
10 (10) Washington Redskins
11 (11) Houston Texans
12 (12) Minnesota Vikings
13 (13) Detroit Lions
14 (14) St. Louis Rams
15 (15) Miami Dolphins
16 (16) Jacksonville Jaguars
17 (17) New England Patriots (from Oakland)
18 (18) San Diego Chargers
19 (19) New York Giants
20 (20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
21 (21) Kansas City Chiefs
22 (22) Indianapolis Colts
23 (23) Philadelphia Eagles
24 (24) New Orleans Saints
25 (25) Seattle Seahawks
26 (26) Baltimore Ravens
27 (27) Atlanta Falcons
28 (28) New England Patriots
29 (29) Chicago Bears
30 (30) New York Jets
31 (31) Pittsburgh Steelers
32 (32) Green Bay Packers


Round 2
Pick (overall) Team
1 (33) New England Patriots (from Carolina)
2 (34) Buffalo Bills
3 (35) Cincinnati Bengals
4 (36) Denver Broncos
5 (37) Cleveland Browns
6 (38) Arizona Cardinals
7 (39) Tennessee Titans
8 (40) Dallas Cowboys
9 (41) Washington Redskins
10 (42) Houston Texans
11 (43) Minnesota Vikings
12 (44) Detroit Lions
13 (45) San Francisco 49ers
14 (46) Denver Broncos (from Miami)
15 (47) St. Louis Rams
16 (48) Oakland Raiders
17 (49) Jacksonville Jaguars
18 (50) San Diego Chargers
19 (51) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20 (52) New York Giants
21 (53) Indianapolis Colts
22 (54) Philadelphia Eagles
23 (55) Kansas City Chiefs
24 (56) New Orleans Saints
25 (57) Seattle Seahawks
26 (58) Baltimore Ravens
27 (59) Atlanta Falcons
28 (60) New England Patriots
29 (61) San Diego Chargers (from NY Jets)
30 (62) Chicago Bears
31 (63) Pittsburgh Steelers
32 (64) Green Bay Packers







Peyton Hillis wins Madden 12 vote

ESPN.com users have spoken, and the face of Madden NFL 12 will be Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis.
Hillis was announced Wednesday as the winner of the fan vote, under way since March 21, on "SportsNation" on ESPN2. In all, almost 13 million votes were cast -- including more than 1 million in the final.
The 10th-seeded Hillis overwhelmingly defeated Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, seeded third, garnering 66 percent of the vote in the final of the 32-player bracket to become the cover of this year'’s version of the popular NFL video game franchise. This is the first year fans were allowed to vote for the game's cover.
After he was named the winner, Hillis said he was "excited" and he didn't think he had a shot against Vick, whom he has "always looked up to."
Hillis acknowledged the support he has received from Browns fans and said: "I just want to tell them thanks and I'm going to play my best for them."
Vick said he was happy for Hillis and was proud of how far he made it in the voting.
"My fans, they stuck in there," Vick said. "I made it this far and that’s a plus for me."
Hillis upset higher seeds throughout the vote. Hillis beat Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (the No. 7 seed); Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (No. 2); Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (No. 6); and No. 1 seed Green Bay Packers quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers to get to the final.
Hillis was buoyed by an online campaign that included front-page treatment on the Browns' website, as well as ongoing Twitter and Facebook campaigns by the team.
In an ESPN.com chat earlier Wednesday with Hillis and Vick, the Browns running back said he'’s not afraid of the "Madden Curse." Several players have been injured or had down years the season immediately after being on the game's cover -- including Vick, who suffered a broken leg before the 2003 season (Vick was on the cover of Madden NFL 2004, which was released in August 2003) and missed 11 of the Atlanta Falcons' games that year.
"For people to believe in this so-called curse, I can't wait to prove people wrong," he said. "From what I believe and where I am in my spiritual life, it would be good to prove them wrong in that sense."
Both Hillis and Vick said they regularly play the Madden game.
Vick, who was attempting to become the first player to appear on the Madden cover twice, also used the Internet to boost his candidacy, with his official website redirecting fans to the ESPN.com Madden vote. To advance to the final, Vick defeated Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware (No. 14 seed); Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson (No. 6 seed); San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis (No. 7); and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (No. 9).
In 2010, Hillis became the first Browns running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season since 2008. He finished with 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns and became known for his battering-ram style, shedding tacklers with hard running.
In his ESPN.com chat, Hillis said he doesn't believe other running backs will try copying his style of running.
"When I play the game, I feel that I need to put it all into it," he said. "I don't care if I play two or five years. I just want to put it all into it. I don't think players will pick that up, they want longevity."
Vick was voted Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year last season after missing two seasons while serving a prison sentence for his role in a dogfighting ring, and playing sparingly in 2009.
Vick led the Eagles to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title after replacing an injured Kevin Kolb after Week 1. Despite missing three games with an injury, Vick had his best season. He set career highs in yards passing (3,018), touchdowns passing (21), touchdowns rushing (9), completion percentage (62.6) and passer rating (100.2).

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

All of the Jim Tressel and Ohio State Articles - Ex-Buckeyes not biting tongues on Tressel situation


Ex-Buckeyes not biting tongues on Tressel situation
john taylor msnbc.com

With reports surfacing Monday that Ohio State had, as expected, received their “notice of allegations” from the NCAA, and even as it contained no “new” information, the Jim Tressel “situation” seemed to get that much more real for Ohio State.
In appearances throughout the day yesterday on various ESPN platforms, a trio of high-profile ex-Buckeyes got down to straight real talk when it came to the current head coach at tOSU. And, to their credit, they refused to bite their tongue when it came to their former school.
Perhaps the strongest words came from former OSU running back Robert Smith, who heavily intimated that he doesn’t see this ending any other way than The Vest losing his job.
“Quite frankly … the information may be there, but I haven’t heard anything that in my estimation wouldn’t lead to his firing,” Smith said by way of the Detroit Free Press.
While not going as far as Smith, former quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, the most polarizing ex-Buckeye amongst the TV talking heads, “think[s] it would be very difficult moving forward with Jim Tressel” as OSU’s head coach, even as the school appears to be solidly behind Tressel at this point in time. And even as Buckeye Nation is “blindly” supporting the institution and coach.
“The Ohio State fan base is blindly just supporting Ohio State and Jim Tressel,” Herbstreit said. “It’s almost gotten to the point where he beat Michigan, he wins 10 games, he goes to BCS bowl games and they’ll support him no matter what he does as far as the fan base. If this would have happened to John Cooper, not only would they have fired him, they would have actually lined him up at a firing squad and fired him.”
Herbstreit, who created a stir earlier this year when he revealed that he was forced to move his family from Columbus to Tennessee due to a “relentless… 5 to 10 percent of the [OSU] fan base”, on the one hand believes that ”people are being a little unfair to (Tressel’s) character”. On the other hand, Herbstreit notes that “the bottom line is he broke the rules by the NCAA” and that such a situation makes it “very difficult after you do that to go into the future homes of recruits and try to recruit and try to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to do things the right way’ when you have this in your background.”
For ex-OSU linebacker/bad ass in perpetuity Chris Spielman, the recruiting issue is not really an issue at all, despite all that’s gone down in regards to The Vest over the past few months.
“If my son’s ever good enough to play for Ohio State, I want him to play for Jim Tressel,” Spielman said.
That said, even Spielman, who acknowledges a close relationship with Tressel, can see that a well-deserved hammer from the NCAA is coming.
“I think if you’re a true fan of Jim Tressel and a true fan of Ohio State, you understand that there has to be action taken against his mistakes that he’s made,” Spielman said. “He’s admitted he’s made mistakes and I think … the NCAA’s going to come down hard. I don’t think you can have a coach who knowingly put ineligible players on the field and you’re not going to take those games from them last year. …
“I think his intent was pure, but his actions justify the punishment that’s coming his way.”
Just what that punishment will ultimately be remains to be seen. Will the NCAA be satisfied with the self-imposed five-game suspension and $250,000 fine? Or, because of Tressel’s blatant dishonesty and outright lying, will the NCAA make an example of Tressel and turn him into the coaching equivalent of Dez Bryant?
Those were the same questions the NCAA was facing when it came to Bruce Pearl before Tennessee took the decision out of their hands by firing their men’s basketball coach. We still say that, barring any negative future revelations, OSU will not go the UT route. Then again, out of the 120 Div. 1-A head football coaches, we would’ve thought Tressel would’ve come in right around No. 120 on the list of coaches who would’ve participated in a cover-up, let alone be the mastermind behind it.








Tressel on borrowed time at Ohio State in wake of NCAA allegations
stewart mandel si.com
What has been whispered for nearly two months took a significant step toward becoming reality Monday: Jim Tressel's tenure at Ohio State is numbered. It may even be over before the end of the calendar year.
The NCAA sent a Notice of Allegations to the school last Friday, less than seven weeks since Ohio State self-reported Tressel's violation on March 8, virtually warp-speed for the governing body. As expected, the NCAA accused Tressel of ethical misconduct for failing to inform OSU officials of an e-mail tip he received that at least two of his current players were selling memorabilia to a local tattoo parlor owner and stated that Tressel "knowingly provided false information to the NCAA" by signing a compliance form last September stating he knew of no potential violations by his players. The letter also cites the school for using ineligible players last season.
The penalty for the latter is easy to predict: Ohio State will have to vacate its 11 regular-season wins from 2010 and presumably its Big Ten title. It should be off the hook for the Sugar Bowl because the NCAA reinstatement staff specifically cleared the players for that game (though the NCAA might contend it did so after being provided with false information).
As for Tressel, Ohio State will appear before the Committee on Infractions on Aug. 12 and make its case for why its self-imposed five-game suspension and $250,000 fine constitute sufficient punishment for the coach. However, past precedent for Bylaw 10.1 violations suggest the odds of Tressel keeping his job are slim.



The timing of the hearing could make for a particularly awkward scenario. Knowing how slow most NCAA investigations move, it was thought no definitive ruling would come down until after the 2011 season. But with an August hearing, the typical timeline suggests a verdict sometime in October. If given a show-cause penalty (the most severe the Committee can levy against a coach), Ohio State may have no choice but to cut ties with Tressel for good shortly after he returns from suspension. Tressel has given no indication he would consider stepping down voluntarily, and the school isn't likely to ax the revered coach on its own.
Beyond that, Ohio State can breathe a little easier knowing the NCAA found no basis to levy lack of institutional control or failure to monitor charges against the school. Therefore, it seems unlikely the school would face future penalties like a postseason ban or reduced scholarships, though the NCAA hinted that Ohio State could be treated as a "repeat violator" due to the 2004 case involving Troy Smith receiving money from a booster. The NCAA also gave Buckeyes fans plenty of cause for concern by asking the school to submit, among other things, its average number of scholarships over the past four years and its contractual agreements for live television contests over the next three seasons. (The latter is standard in these cases, but the Committee hasn't issued a television ban since the mid-90s.)
The main reason broader penalties against the school appear unlikely is because the NCAA appears to be pinning the blame for the situation almost entirely on Tressel.
According to the report, Tressel "knew or should have known that at least two football student-athletes" received benefits from Edward Rife and, by failing to report the information, "permitted football student-athletes to participate in intercollegiate athletics competition while ineligible." In levying the unethical conduct charge, the NCAA writes that Tressel "failed to deport himself in accordance with the honesty and integrity normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics." If that language sounds familiar, that's because it's extremely similar to that written about ex-Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl in a Notice of Allegations the school received last February. The school dismissed Pearl before the case reached the Committee.
It will be interesting to see whether public opinion toward Tressel begins changing at all in Columbus, where the majority of Buckeyes fans continue to defend a coach whose persona is based in large part on his purported integrity. His greatest flaw, they might say, is that he cares too much about his players and was genuinely concerned for their safety. Yet here in writing, with little room for interpretation, is the NCAA flat-out saying Tressel failed to act with honesty and integrity.
Long story short: Tressel made a colossal mistake, and he's about to pay the price. In the end, it will inflict an even greater wound on the very players he cares about so deeply.











Jim Tressel is a big deal.
Tressel, Buckeyes at crossroadspat forde espn.com

Big salary. Big reputation. Big winning percentage (.828 at Ohio State, second-best in Big Ten history for coaches with 10 or more years in the league, trailing only Fielding H. Yost).
He is not, however, bigger than Ohio State. Which is why the school should terminate its star football coach before it responds in the coming months to the NCAA notice of allegations that was made public Monday.
Jim Tressel and Ohio State will face the NCAA's committee on infractions Aug. 12.
In that document, the NCAA charged Tressel with "potential major violations" related to his handling of what could go down as the most costly body art in college football history. The free tattoos and sold football memorabilia of five Buckeyes launched an investigation that could wind up bringing down The Vest.
And The Vest should go down.
Ohio State is stripped to its soul, and now we're going to see what the school is made of. Does it cherish its reputation more than its football prowess, or not?
To put it politely, The Ohio State University has a rather high opinion of itself. Buckeye Nation has always believed it stood for more than the average football factory. Its fans have long disdained the scofflaw status of the Southeastern Conference, even as SEC teams have taken turns beating the Buckeyes in big games over the years.
Now we'll find out what matters most.
The only bigger coach than Tressel in Ohio State history was Woody Hayes, winner of AP national championships in 1954 and '68 and the all-time leader in Big Ten conference victories with 152. Yet when Hayes shamed the university by punching Clemson's Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl, igniting a bench-clearing brawl, the school fired him the next day.
If Ohio State could fire its greatest football icon, it can fire Tressel.
Of course, Hayes' assault of Bauman was nationally televised; there was no mistaking or misunderstanding what occurred. It could not be taken out of context, glossed over or ascribed to any plot to take down the coach. A legend punched his way out of a job on live TV, leaving his employer no choice as far as how to act.
The Tressel transgressions carry no such visual payload, but that doesn't make them tolerable. The fact is, a coach who portrays and markets himself as something more than a coach -- a High-Character Leader of Men -- lied about what he knew, when he knew it and who he told about it.
In a clear attempt at damage control, as opposed to getting to the bottom of things, Tressel didn't consult with athletic director Gene Smith or the school's compliance department when he found out about Tattoogate. Instead, Tressel took the information to a guy named Ted Sarniak, a businessman from Terrelle Pryor's hometown who has a relationship (of some sort) with the quarterback. He also consulted with the lawyer who tipped him off to the federal investigation (former Buckeye walk-on Christopher Cicero), and with a member of the FBI.
When Ohio State announced its suspensions of the involved players in December, Tressel willingly played the part of a bewildered coach who was caught off guard by the whole thing. As emails were released in the ensuing months, it became obvious that wasn't the case.
At that time, Tressel said he kept the emails from Cicero to himself to avoid compromising the federal investigation of the tattoo parlor's owner. Except that wasn't quite true, either, since he forwarded them to Sarniak.
Which means Tressel did nothing that could have helped settle this little scandal in an above-board manner. Given a choice in how to handle it, he went under the table and then lied about it.
As the story got worse, Ohio State has grudgingly given ground -- trying to save face and save Tressel at the same time.
Players were suspended, but not the coach. Then the coach was suspended for two games in 2011. Then, when that looked like a soft response, Tressel asked for the suspension to be raised to five games -- commensurate with what the players got from the NCAA.
If recent history tells us anything, it's that the NCAA doesn't look kindly upon dissemblers. Ask former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant, whose college football career ended by misleading the NCAA. Former Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl will find out the same thing eventually, when the NCAA could hit him with a show-cause order that prevents him from college coaching for some period of time.
Because he was a popular winner, Tennessee thought long and hard about keeping Pearl even after he was charged in September by the NCAA. The school was widely derided for that stance before ultimately coming around in March and firing him.
To many fans outside the SEC, the Volunteers' insistence in standing by Pearl for many months was seen as another example of the league's win-at-all-costs mentality. Ultimately, though, it did not last. Tennessee did what it had to do.
The Ohio State University finds itself in a similar situation now -- but the coach is an even bigger name, with a bigger salary and a bigger rep.
It's a tough position to be in. But Ohio State was faced with firing a football icon before, and did what it had to do. It should do so again -- not just as a message to the NCAA, but as a message to everyone about what the school is made of.




Will Ohio State avoid a postseason ban?
dennis dodd sportsline.com
Was Ohio State cut a break in its notice of allegations from the NCAA? So much so that the school may avoid a postseason ban in the Jim Tressel case?
Draw your own conclusions from these conclusions: While the 15-page NOA delivered last week seems fairly damning, it does not contain the NCAA's scarlet letter designations -- "failure to monitor" or "lack of institutional control". In most cases, the allegations are made by the enforcement staff in the NOA. Either can be added by the committee on infractions in the penalty phase but that is a rarer occurence. Despite the depth and scope of Tresselgate neither were included in regards to Ohio State.
Failure to monitor is more specific in terms of points of oversight in a specific area of the athletic department. Lack of institutional control says there is little or no oversight in general regarding a case. Go to the front of the NCAA Manual. The "Principle of Institutional Control" reads like the opening sentences of the Book of Genesis. [Emphasis added}
"It is the responsibility of each member institution to control its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Association. The institution’s president or chancellor is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the athletics program, including approval of the budget and audit of all expenditures.
"The institution’s responsibility for the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics program includes responsibility for the actions of its staff members and for the actions of any other individual or organization engaged in activities promoting the athletics interests of the institution."
Merely taking into account the information in the NOA, it's hard to believe that Ohio State didn't get lack of institutional control. Its head coach lied and systematically circumvented the system by hiding damaging emails. I've said this in the past but this case comes down to the following: A 67-year old businessman in western Pennsylvania knew that Terrelle Pryor's name had popped up in a federal drug trafficking investigation before either the Ohio State AD or president.
That's bad enough. What a lot of folks have forgotten is the beginning of this case. Part of the reason those Ohio State players were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl was they "did not receive adequate rules education during the time period the violations occurred," according to the NCAA. Once they got that rules education, another game was added (for a total of five) to the players' suspensions that take effect this season.
So if you're like me, you're wondering how an athletic and compliance department that didn't educate its players on an extra benefit rule that is considered common sense in the industry, didn't get cited further by the NCAA. Ohio State AD Gene Smith threw his compliance department under the bus back in December saying the nine-member staff was "complicit" in the violations because they did not make the extra benefits rule clear to players. We can argue why Ohio State got a break for its players when it is assumed that everyone knows, or should know, you can't sell your memorabilia. The point now is, why didn't Ohio State at least get "failure to monitor" when the NOA was delivered last week?
Both the NCAA and Smith called out the compliance department. That's a helluva place to start in assigning the scarlet letter.
An answer might be found in the manual. One of the presumptive penalties for a lack of institutional control violation is a postseason ban. It was described to me by a veteran of NCAA cases this way, "There is a higher presumption of a postseason ban," with a lack of institutional control. The manual states that a postseason ban is likely "particularly" when the violations reflect a lack of institutional control. There are almost always mitigating circumstances in these cases, but it seems by not citing Ohio State's oversight, a postseason ban is off the table.
That doesn't necessarily mean Ohio State won't get a bowl ban. The NCAA alleges in the NOA that Ohio State is a repeat violator, meaning that it has committed another major violation within the allowed five-year window. While OSU won't get the death penalty -- one of the possible penalties for being a repeat violator -- it could received enhanced penalties because of the repeat designation. Because of that, maybe the NCAA didn't feel it was necessary to allege lack of institutional control. The school already has hung itself for being a serial violator.
The case isn't over and who knows what will develop between now and when the penalties are released which, at the earliest, seem to be midseason? But if you read between the lines it seems that a postseason ban is unlikely. Think more in terms of at least two years probation, a vacation of wins from 2010 and perhaps some scholarships. The juiciest question, though, remains whether Tressel will coach again at Ohio State. Without answering that question at the moment, I will leave you with bylaw 11.1.2.1, "Responsibility of Head Coach".
"It shall be the responsibility of an institution’s head coach to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the program supervised by the coach and to monitor the activities regarding compliance of all assistant coaches and other administrators involved with the program who report directly or indirectly to the coach."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

NBA Playoff Schedule Tuesday, April 26 - NFL Players Not Aloud to Work Out -

Will have more on Jim Tressel situation tomorrow. I will try to put all of the articles about him on here since Mondays accusations. Everyone should have plenty of time to read since the playstation network is still down. Don't act like none of u have been board out of your mind without your precious PSN. Still wouldn't buy an Xbox!!!



NBA Playoff Schedule
Tuesday, April 26

Atlanta at Orlando
Game 5 - Hawks lead 3-1 7:30 PM Fox Sports Florida NBA TV

Indiana at Chicago
Game 5 - Bulls lead 3-1 8:00 PM Comcast Sports Chicago TNT

New Orleans at LA Lakers
Game 5 - Series tied 2-2 10:30 PM


NFL Players Not Aloud to Work Out
Peter King says it is a long way from being over

Appearing this morning at a fundraiser for New England Patriots teammate Matt Light, Mankins, one of the 10 plaintiffs in the players' lawsuit against the NFL, had a "being there'' kind of reaction to Judge Susan Nelson's ruling to enjoin NFL teams from locking out the 1,900 NFL players from their practice facilities and weight rooms.
"It's a step in the right direction,'' said Mankins, the Patriots' all-pro guard who has been a free agent but hasn't been able to test the unrestricted market for the past two offseasons. "It can only help players across the league get back to playing football. But it's been weird being a free agent for the last two years and not being free.''
Judge Nelson advised the players and owners today that she wanted players' counterarguments to the league's requests for a delay of her injunction by 10 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday. So as team officials, players and league executives try to come to grips with what the injunction means, today promises to be full of questions.
As I wrote late Monday night, the league filed two motions with Nelson's court. The first was a motion of clarification, seeking more information on the practical implications of the 89-page ruling. The second was a motion to stay her ruling while the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis hears the NFL's appeal of Monday's ruling. Regardless of whether she allows the stay, the future is murky. Three things could happen:
• She could allow the stay, keeping NFL doors locked until the appeals court hears the case.

New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins is one of 10 players suing the NFL.
US Presswire
• She could not allow the stay and order the 2011 league year -- with free-agency and player trades -- to begin immediately, or within days ... which would throw the league into chaos this week as it prepares for the three-day draft, set to begin Thursday night in New York.
• Or she could allow the Eighth Circuit to rule on the stay, which one legal expert Monday night said would take between two and seven days. In this case, the appeals court could either order the league year to start immediately or wait until the resolution of the case in appeals.
McCANN: Players sit in driver's seat after ruling
That's a complex deal. But Mankins, and the others at the breakfast for Light's foundation this morning, could agree on one thing: Even though there's going to be a contentious period between players and owners until a bridge is built between the two sides, Nelson's ruling is probably a good sign for people worried that the season wouldn't be played in its entirety this year.
"I think there's going to be a full season now, and that's good for fans,'' said Mankins.
It is -- but what isn't going to be good is the constant labor news. The public is tired of it, and if the owners are forced to open the doors against their will, look for the fight between the two sides to last into 2012. At least.
***
Phil Taylor is going to be fine -- he thinks.
One of the last remaining stories before the draft is the condition of the right foot of Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor, probably the best nose tackle in this draft. Ten days ago, it was reported Taylor had a problem with two bones growing together in the foot, a problem surgery was unlikely to help. But last week, Taylor was examined by San Francisco team doctors and given an X-ray, and he said he was told the foot was not a problem. In fact, the team gave the foot a clean bill of health, and the only health-related question the Niners had was about an old shoulder injury that also isn't considered a problem.
"That report came out of left field,'' Taylor said. "I haven't had any pain in my foot. There's nothing wrong with it. And those doctors [in San Francisco] confirmed that, so now nobody should have any questions about it.''
Taylor could get picked anywhere between 21 (Kansas City) and 32 (Green Bay). It's unlikely, given the number of 3-4 teams late in the first round, that he'll last until the second round. He can play the nose or, in a pinch, defensive end in the 3-4, or tackle in the 4-3, though it's most likely he'd be a match for a 3-4 team that likes to use its nose in a versatile way. Vince Wilfork sliding outside in New England comes to mind. Taylor's been linked to the Jets (picking 30th), which would be a good fit with Rex Ryan. He might be a poor man's Haloti Ngata.
"I don't watch much football on TV,'' Taylor said, "but I know what the Jets do, and that'd be a great fit for me. I'd love to be there.''
***
Now for your e-mail:
CONSIDER THE TEAMS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE PLAYERS ARE DRAFTED. "All the focus for quarterbacks is on the player. What is your opinion of the different QB-needy teams as to which teams are best prepared to develop their newly drafted player? Doesn't some portion of success rest with the coaching staff and other factors that winning teams possess?''
--Greg Silvestri, Edina, Minn.
That's a huge part of the equation, obviously. And so many of the teams needing a quarterback this year have other problems that will either stand in the way of a quarterback being successful or limit his ability to win early in his career. The place I think is best suited for a young quarterback to win, among the teams that need one this year, is San Francisco. I like the prospect of a guy being coached by Jim Harbaugh and having some good young receivers, though I question how well a passer with the 49ers will be protected.
SHOULD THE DRAFT MOVE BACK TO THE WEEKEND? "Enjoy your columns. I was wondering your thoughts about the draft moving from a Saturday/Sunday format to the Thursday/Friday/Saturday format. I personally didn't like it last year and just skipped watching it until Saturday.
In the past we would have a big get-together, everyone had their jerseys on and we would grill out, making a whole day of it. Now with the setup, you can't get people to drive that far and sit at a house for 3+ hours then drive back home, because they have to work the next day. I understand the move was made for money, but I really wish the NFL would understand that sometimes it would be nice if they put the fans first.
2011 NFL Draft
Writers
BANKS: Potential plight of undrafted guys
TROTTER: New format's affect on strategy
KING: Monday Morning Quarterback
BANKS: Can Bucs continue draft success?
BYRNE: 10 holes need to be filled in draft
STAPLES: How draftees rated as preps
KING: Mock Draft: Who'll go & who should
PAULINE: Small-school sleepers in draft
Draft Database: Profiles of 700+ prospects
Video
Draft analysts debate picks 1-5 | 6-10
The top QBs | RB | WR | OL | DL | LB | DB
Peter King's 1-minute drills for all 32 teams
Photos

QBs picked No. 1 overall

Peter King's Mock Draft
I probably am living in fantasy land with that thought, but I really don't think the majority of players and owners get it. The NFL would be nothing without the fans, and the players would, for the most part, make fractions of what they get today. Instead of thanking the fans they seem to ignore us, until they need our money.''
--Sam, Hudson, Iowa
I've heard that from a lot of people, Sam, and I empathize with you. But more people watched the first round last year than ever watched the first round before -- far more. So I don't think the league will consider moving it back.
NOTHING'S CHANGED. "What's the story with overtime this coming season? Are we looking at sudden-death in the regular season and the new alternate sudden-death-unless rules for the playoffs again? Or do we get a peek at sudden-death-unless in the regular season too?''
--Michael, Richmond, Va.
The league decided not to change the overtime rules this year. It's possible the NFL could change the rules at its May meetings, but something tells me the NFL will have bigger fish to fry then.
WE'LL SEE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SENSE I GET. "Peter, I actually think interest is higher in the draft than in past years and suspect the numbers will reflect this on Thursday and Friday. What I believe you are seeing is pre-draft analysis fatigue because it is all that has been going on without free agency and league operations. Hang in there, we are interested and listening.''
--Bill, Wellesley, Mass.
The numbers on NFL Network and ESPN will tell us that. The one thing in the favor of big ratings? Quarterbacks. Paul Allen of KFAN in Minneapolis -- he does a talk show and is the play-by-play man for the Vikings -- tells me fans in the Twin Cities are really into the draft this year, and he thinks a big reason is they're looking forward to who the quarterback of the future is, and they think that quarterback is coming this week. So you may be right.
GOOD QUESTION, AND WE CAN'T KNOW IT NOW. "Pretty fascinating stuff on the mental backflips GMs like Marty Hurney go through with the top pick decision and the fact that their careers are on the line. Would be interested in your take on which a guy like Hurney would more likely be fired for: Drafting Cam Newton and he's a bust or not drafting Newton and he ends up the next all-world QB elsewhere?''
--Ryan, Tampa
Interesting. A general manager always gets in trouble for passing on a great player. But in this case, I'd say it'd be worse to take Newton and have him fail, because there are so many warning signs that Newton is flawed. Even as I say that, I understand why the Panthers are so tempted about Newton. They need a quarterback, they're in a division with three good or great quarterbacks, and there's no player of such greatness at a difference-making position (except maybe Patrick Peterson) that would make you say you should pass on a quarterback here. And for all those people who say the Panthers should defer a quarterback pick now and go for Andrew Luck this year? Come on. You can't guarantee being the worst of 32 teams, and you can't ask a team to tank.

Monday, April 25, 2011

NBA Schedule for Monday, April 25 -Urban Meyer to Coach Bucks in 2012? Beano Cook Thinks So!

NBA Schedule for Monday, April 25


San Antonio at Memphis
Game 4 - Grizzlies lead 2-1 8:00 PM TNT

Portland at Dallas
Game 5 - Series tied 2-2 8:30 PM NBA TV

Oklahoma City at Denver
Game 4 - Thunder lead 3-0 10:30 PM TNT


Urban Meyer to Coach Bucks in 2012? Beano Cook Thinks So!


| College football analyst Beano Cook predicts that the upcoming season will be Jim Tressel's last as the Buckeyes' coach. "I think Ohio State has major problems and I think Jim Tressel has major problems," Cook said. "I've said on my Podcast. . . (that) Urban Meyer will be the coach at Ohio State in 2012. That was my prediction and I stick by that prediction. Urban Meyer will be ready to coach somewhere."

Bob Hunter Columbus Dispatch
Not sure how relevant Beano Cook is anymore, but the college football analyst was on a roll this week on AllNight with Jason Smith on ESPN, ripping the NCAA for allowing the suspended OSU players to play in the Sugar Bowl and then making them sit out next year (“a terrible decision”), and then predicting that the upcoming season will be Jim Tressel’s last as the Buckeyes’ coach.
“I think Ohio State has major problems and I think Jim Tressel has major problems,” Cook said. “I’ve said on my Podcast. . . (that) Urban Meyer will be the coach at Ohio State in 2012. That was my prediction and I stick by that prediction. Urban Meyer will be ready to coach somewhere. He said when he was coaching Florida that there were only three schools he would ever coach at – Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame. I think Brian Kelly is going to do the job at Notre Dame and Michigan just hired a new coach, and I think this will be Jim Tressel’s last year. I’m not saying it should be. . . . This is a mess, it isn’t over yet and I think this is his last year coaching at Ohio State.”
Why?
“I just think that now that it’s come out that he talked about this problem with an alumnus from Jeannette, Pa., (Terrelle) Pryor’s hometown about selling these jerseys and other things and he did not tell the president or athletic director. I think Ohio State will get hit by the NCAA because they were misled. The worst thing you can do with the NCAA is not tell them the truth right away and that’s what happened. I think Ohio State is going to get hit.
“I just think it’s a mess. This is a real mess. These kids aren’t going to play for five games. That’s going to be constant story. I just think he will resign. That’s my opinion. That’s all. It’s just a prediction and that’s what we do in this business. Predict.”

Friday, April 22, 2011

MLB Power Rankings -ESPN commentator endorsements -ESPN Commentators Now Have Guidelines When it Comes to Endorsements -

MLB Power Rankings
1
Last Week: 1
Colorado Rockies
The name "Ubaldo" is at least phonetic to a Spanish speaker; the name Jhoulys Chacin is a bit more of a challenge. (It's pronounced "JO-lease cha-SEEN.") The only thing trickier has been hitting him in the air. Utilizing an 89-91 mph fastball, Chacin threw a six-hit, complete-game shutout Friday night against the Cubs, and he leads the majors in groundball-to-flyball ratio at 3.91. The 23-year-old has yet to allow a home run and has yielded just three extra-base hits (all doubles) in 22 innings with a 1.64 ERA.
 
2
Last Week: 5
Cleveland Indians
It has only been four games and 14 at bats, but Grady Sizemore's return to an Indians uniform has been an unquestioned success story so far. After undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee, he made it back to the majors on Sunday and homered in his second at bat. He's had multiple hits in each of his first two starts and is batting .357 with three extra-base hits. Whether the speed ever returns is unknown -- he averaged 29 steals in his four full seasons -- but he's only 28 and ought to have several good years ahead of him.

 
3
Last Week: 2
Philadelphia Phillies
On Wednesday afternoon the Phillies rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Brewers thanks to home runs from Placido Polanco and Shane Victorino. Indeed, the top two hitters in Philadelphia's lineup accounted for all four RBIs; Polanco is now tied with Ryan Howard for the team lead with 15 while Victorino is tied with Raul Ibañez for third place with 10. Add catcher Carlos Ruiz and rightfielder Ben Francisco, and six of the Phillies' top seven hitters in the lineup have at least nine RBIs. The lone exception is No. 3 hitter Jimmy Rollins, who somehow only has one RBI, which came in his 12th game. The culprit is his .229 average with runners on base.
 
4
Last Week: 9
Los Angeles Angels
Howie Kendrick looks like a completely new hitter in the first three weeks of the season. The second baseman's career high for homers is 10, and he's never exceeded a frequency of one HR every 37.4 at bats. In 2011, however, he's already hit six homers with an AB/HR rate of 12.3. He's also drawing walks at an unprecedented rate. His career high is to draw a walk on 5.0 percent of plate appearances, but he's up to 11.8 percent so far this year. The homer and walk rates -- if he keeps them up -- will push him from high-average singles hitter to a power hitter in the company of second-base counterparts Robinson Cano and Ian Kinsler.
 
5
Last Week: 7
New York Yankees
In 1990 rookie Kevin Maas became an immediate Yankees sensation when he began his career with 12 home runs among his first 28 hits. Jorge Posada, in his first year as a full-time D.H., is on track to shatter that pace. Five of Posada's first seven hits this season were home runs, accounting for eight of his nine RBIs. The former catcher has 11 seasons with at least 17 homers, but he has never exceeded 30 in a year. The other hits should come soon, however. Posada's batting average on balls in play is an astronomically low .094 -- by far the worst in the majors -- and should start creeping toward the MLB average of .292 soon, a move that will manifest in the form of singles and doubles, balancing out his early power.
 
6
Last Week: 3
Texas Rangers
Given the cost of the trade (set-up man and former closer Frank Francisco), the Rangers were expected to find at bats for Mike Napoli, either at catcher or first base, especially after he homered in his first two games and three of his first five. Instead, Napoli played in just six of Texas' first 14 games, restricted by being one of only two catchers on the team along with Yorvit Torrealba and thus making manager Ron Washington reluctant to use him as a pinch-hitter. But on Wednesday the Rangers called up a third catcher, Taylor Teagarden, which will create what Washington called more "offensive flexibility with Napoli." Good thing -- through nine games he's slugging .704.
 
7
Last Week: 6
Kansas City Royals
Billy Butler started his 25th birthday on Monday with two singles and two walks. In the eighth inning, however, while sliding into second on a possible force-out, Butler thought he had been called out and wandered off second base; he later discovered -- too late -- that he had been safe at second. It was an unfortunate gaffe in a game the Royals went on to lose, marring his hot start to the season: Butler has a batting line of .354/.475/.508. He leads the AL with five intentional walks and is tied for fifth with 14 total walks.
 
8
Last Week: 12
Florida Marlins
The Marlins have a three-time All-Star and former batting champ in Hanley Ramirez, a hyped power-hitting prospect in Mike Stanton and two 2010 All-Stars in John Buck and Omar Infante, but the team's two best hitters so far this season -- by far -- have been Logan Morrison and the man who displaced Morrison from first base to leftfield, Gaby Sanchez. Both are hitting above .325 with an OBP of at least .400, and
 
9
Last Week: 14
San Francisco Giants
Slimming one's waistline wouldn't seem to have an effect on a player's batting eye, but third baseman Pablo Sandoval, fresh off an offseason in which he lost 40 pounds, is more patient at the plate, taking his time to feast on offspeed pitches rather than hastening his way to the postgame spread. Sandoval has put together a .328/.400/.603 batting line with five homers by changing his approach at the plate. He's seeing 3.80 pitches per plate appearance (up from 3.42 for his career), by swinging at the first pitch only 26.2 percent of the time (down from 44.1 percent in his career) and by reducing his number of plate appearances per walk to 9.29 (down from 13.35 for his career).
 
10
Last Week: 11
Milwaukee Brewers
Last year Prince Fielder drew the most walks in his career (114) and had his fewest RBIs (83) since 2006. In 2011 Fielder has reversed that trend. He has a major league leading 19 RBIs, meaning he's on pace for 171, and has walked only six times, a rate of 7.7 percent of all plate appearances compared to 16.0 percent last year. No doubt Fielder is swinging more freely in his contract year -- RBIs earn more cash than walks -- which, along with the emergence of Casey McGehee as his protection in the lineup, partly explains why he's on pace to more than double his RBIs and more than halve his walks.
 
11
Last Week: 28
Tampa Bay Rays
In his last five full games before suffering a finger injury on Sunday, Johnny Damon went 8-for-23 (.348) with at least one hit and one RBI in each, all of which were Rays wins. Twice in the weekend series against the Twins, Damon delivered a walkoff win for Tampa Bay, with a two-run homer on Thursday and an RBI single on Saturday. Damon has always had a flair for the dramatic and is tied for the major league lead in both go-ahead RBIs (six) and game-winning RBIs (five).
 
12
Last Week: 20
St. Louis Cardinals
Nearly 90 percent of the season remains, but at the rate Lance Berkman is going, I'm likely to owe him an apology. In SI's baseball preview issue, I identified him as the NL Central's "star on the decline" -- in 2010, after all, he struggled mightily against lefty pitchers and this year the Cardinals were asking the oft-injured 35-year-old to be an everyday outfielder for the first time in seven years -- but he logged one the best five-game stretches anyone in baseball will enjoy this year. Berkman went 10-for-21 (.476) with six home runs and 12 RBIs.
 
13
Last Week: 21
Arizona Diamondbacks
Admittedly, the Twins' Joe Mauer is on the D.L., but in his absence the Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero is asserting himself as one of the game's premier offensive catchers. Montero's 1.028 OPS is No. 1 among catchers and is No. 10 among all NL hitters. He's not only batting .358 but has drawn eight walks. There are two drawbacks, however, to his fine start. One, his batting average on balls in play is .405, which will likely regress closer to his .311 career rate and cost him a few points on his average; two, he has made five errors, also the most among all catchers.
 
14
Last Week: 4
Cincinnati Reds
Writers and fans have become numb to most athlete arrests, but Monday's incident with Mike Leake stood out for the alleged perpetrator (a promising young pitcher of little national name recognition except for his having skipped the minor leagues), the alleged offense (stealing six t-shirts that cost less than $60) and his compensation (he received a $2.3 million signing bonus and is making $425,000 this season). Making matters stranger is this Cincinnati TV report which suggests Leake tried to make an in-store exchange without telling any store employee and the police reports which lists his place of employment as "Reds Stadium" rather than Great American Ballpark.
 
15
Last Week: 16
Chicago Cubs
In Carlos Zambrano's third start of the year on April 13, he pitched five scoreless innings and homered in the top of the sixth before allowing five runs in the bottom half of the inning and leaving the mound before his manager, Mike Quade, arrived to take the ball. Zambrano apologized the next day and what likely spoke louder than words was his performance in his next outing on Monday night. Zambrano threw eight shutout innings and struck out 10 while allowing just three hits and one walk.
 
16
Last Week: 17
Oakland Athletics
Rickey Henderson's name and face keeps popping up everywhere. Most notably, he appears -- thrice -- in this new Pepsi Max commercial in which three Rickey Hendersons, wearing different uniforms, appear; while one drinks from a bottle of soda, the other two are playing Paper-Rock-Scissors before one proclaims (in the third person, of course), "Rickey wins again." Meanwhile, the Oakland A's are trotting out a Rickey Henderson bobblehead night, and their TV network is running a commercial in which Coco Crisp excitedly tells the clubhouse manager that Henderson told him that disco aerobics are the key to his fitness level -- only for the clubbie to tell Crisp that Henderson told another player that Irish line dancing was the secret. And there's this tale, from a blog, in which Henderson mistook the steal sign for adulation.
 
17
Last Week: 24
Washington Nationals
Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa had only 15 RBIs in 28 games in 2010 but notched his 15th RBI of 2011 in his 17th game and, in fact, has nearly twice as many RBIs as any teammate. (Ian Desmond ranks second with eight). But don't expect that to continue: Espinosa has hit his way out of most RBI opportunities. By reaching base reliably -- he has a .375 OBP -- he has taken over from Desmond, his double-play partner, as the Nationals' new leadoff hitter.
 
18
Last Week: 18
Detroit Tigers
Centerfielder Austin Jackson was the AL Rookie of the Year runner-up last year, while leftfielder Ryan Raburn was the club's breakout performer by finishing with 13 homers and a .333 average over the season's final two months. But this year Raburn has struck out 25 times and Jackson 24 times -- while batting just .230 and .157, respectively -- which means that two-thirds of the Tigers' starting outfield are the majors' top two strikeout victims.
 
19
Last Week: 15
Los Angeles Dodgers
On Wednesday MLB commissioner Bud Selig essentially seized control of the Dodgers and handed it to an as-yet-unnamed representative to "oversee all aspects of the business and the day-to-day operations of the Club." Such a move likely won't immediately affect the Dodgers' on-field performance -- players generally have little regular interaction with ownership -- but it could hamstring general manager Ned Colletti if he wants to add payroll at the trade deadline. Admittedly, the Rangers were very active last year under the league's watchful eye and made it to the World Series, but, as Jonah Keri thoughtfully reflects over at FanGraphs.com, things weren't as rosy when MLB took over the Expos in 2002.
 
20
Last Week: 22
San Diego Padres
In the first 18 games of the 2010 season then-Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez had a .317/.429/.667 batting line with six homers and 14 RBIs. In San Diego's first 18 games of 2011, however, with Gonzalez now playing in Boston, the team has had a major dropoff in production from their starting first basemen. Brad Hawpe and Jorge Cantu have shared starting duties at that position, and collectively the two Padres first basemen have .129/.182/.200 batting line with one home run and only three runs scored.
 
21
Last Week: 13
Toronto Blue Jays
Aaron Hill and Adam Lind continue to replicate each other. It started in 2009 -- when Hill batted .286 with 36 homers and 108 RBIs and Lind hit .305 with 35 homers and 114 RBIs -- but it hasn't been a good thing since. In 2010, Hill fell to .205 with 26 homers and 68 RBIs; Lind checked in at .237, 23 homers and 72 RBIs. And in 2011 Hill is batting .242 with zero homers and nine RBIs, and Lind is hitting .232, one homer and nine RBIs. Each has three doubles, while Lind has four walks to Hill's three.
 
22
Last Week: 10
Baltimore Orioles
That dalliance atop the AL East standings was fun, but reality struck cruelly. Beginning with the second game of a doubleheader on April 9, the Orioles lost eight straight, going from a one-game lead in first to fourth place and a 3 ½ game deficit. During that skid the club batted .219 and scored just 20 runs, an average of 2.5 per game. On the season, not one player with at least 25 at bats is hitting better than .274 or has an OBP higher than .333, which are fine numbers for a team average but not for the top of the scale.
 
23
Last Week: 19
Atlanta Braves
Mayfield Farms, a prominent dairy farm in the southeastern U.S., announced recently that it was creating Triple Play, the official ice cream of the Atlanta Braves. The name comes from the three flavors -- white chocolate ice cream with a raspberry puree and raspberry-filled chocolate cups ? that comprise it but the Braves haven't turned a triple play in seven years, last doing so on May 6, 2004 against the Padres. In 2003, however, then shortstop Rafael Furcal completed one of the rarest feats in baseball by turning an unassisted triple play against the Cardinals. That was duplicated against Atlanta in 2007 when Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki did the honors.
 
24
Last Week: 23
Pittsburgh Pirates
As bad as the Pirates were last year -- their .352 winning percentage was their worst since 1954 -- at least they won at home, going 40-41 in front of their fans at PNC Park. That, unfortunately, left only 17 wins in road games. This year, oddly, the Pirates have reversed that trend, starting 7-5 on the road and 1-5 at home. If their struggles in Pittsburgh continued, they may not be immune to the mocking laugh of the scoreboard Pirate (check these videos on Yahoo!'s Big League Stew).
 
25
Last Week: 30
Boston Red Sox
After starting 0-6 and 2-10, it was easy to point to Boston's starting rotation as the key culprit. The staff had a 6.71 ERA in those first dozen games, and opponents hit .281 against them. In their last five games, however, which is a full turn through the rotation, Sox starters are 4-1 with a 1.15 ERA after allowing just four earned runs and a .179 average against in 31 1/3 innings. Most surprising was the outing from Daisuke Matsuzaka, who pitched seven shutout innings, yielding just one hit and one walk and needing only 89 pitches to get 21 outs. He had thrown seven innings in his first two starts combined, while allowing 10 earned runs.
 
26
Last Week: 8
Chicago White Sox
From 2007 to 2009 the first pitch for White Sox home games was scheduled for 7:11 p.m. as part of a sponsorship with convenience store chain 7-Eleven. After that contract expired, games were returned to their prior start time of 7:10, and this year the White Sox ought to move forward the remainder of their home games by far more than one minute. Through three weeks, Chicago is 1-6 in night games but 6-5 in day games. The club is in the middle of a seven-game losing streak, and though they won't actually change their entire home schedule, it may be time for a drastic shakeup of another kind -- maybe by shuffling the lineup and dropping struggling Juan Pierre and Gordon Beckham out of the top two spots.
 
27
Last Week: 29
Houston Astros
On Wednesday, in Houston's 18th game of the season, the first Astro hit multiple home runs -- not for the game but for the season. Amazingly, no player had more than one homer until Hunter Pence parked his second round-tripper of the season at the Mets' Citi Field. It was the key blow in leading the Astros to consecutive wins for the first time this season.
 
28
Last Week: 26
Minnesota Twins
Of the Twins' early-season problems -- catcher Joe Mauer's leg weakness and viral infection, closer Joe Nathan's struggles and subsequent demotion, the broken leg of Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the rampant flu that sidelined Justin Morneau and Delmon Young and Francisco Liriano's shakiness -- at least one, Liriano, showed a glimpse of turning things around. In his first three stars he allowed a 9.42 ERA without pitching more than five innings. But against the Orioles on Monday, the lefty earned his first win after allowing only two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Troubling still was that he walked five while striking out two, bringing the season total of both to 14, and that he didn't get a swing and miss on any of his 47 fastballs despite averaging 93 mph.
 
29
Last Week: 27
Seattle Mariners
In Eric Wedge's last six seasons managing the Indians, they never scored fewer than 773 runs, even when they only won 65 games. That's the background to his recent comments blasting the offense of his new team, the Mariners, who scored a paltry 513 runs last year and have scored only 70 runs in 19 games this year. That's a pace for 597 runs. Though that's way more than last year's Seattle team, it still would have ranked last in the AL. That's why Wedge told the Seattle press recently, "It's the same thing, different day, and it's unacceptable." Unfortunately for Wedge, he doesn't have a ton to work with -- so little, in fact, that he used second baseman Adam Kennedy, whose career slugging percentage is a paltry .387, as clean-up hitter.
 
30
Last Week: 25
New York Mets
The Mets' early-season losing has already become so monotonous and routine that New York Daily News beat writer Andy Martino led his story of Tuesday night's loss like so: "Blah blah blah blah rain blah blah blah Niese blah blah Astros blah blah Mets got spanked. Blah blah, 6-1. We really don't know what else to tell you about this one. But we will try . . ." One out of the ordinary note with the Mets: last week they hosted an afternoon doubleheader while the Yankees were home at night, allowing me to see (most of) a tripleheader.





ESPN commentator endorsements
As part of ESPN's transparency efforts and guidelines for commentators and endorsement relationships, the following is a list of relevant, approved endorsements. This information will be updated as warranted.

Erin Andrews: Reebok
Paul Azinger: Adams Golf
Mike Bellotti: Nike Coaching Clinic at USC
Ato Bolden: Adidas
Bruce Bowen: Nike
Tim Brown: Under Armour
Olin Browne: Callaway, Razor Hawk, Odyssey
Chris Burandt: Monster, Polaris, Slednecks, Klim, HMK, Starting Line Products, Holz Racing Products, Fox Racing, Snox, EGT, VCHK, 509, Boon Docker Performance, RSI, RPM, Sled Solutions, Better Boards, Timbersled, Sledez, Edge Products
Darren Cahill: Adidas, Wilson, Donnay
Cris Carter: Nike
Jimmy Coleman: Metal Mulisha
Lee Corso: Nike
Jane Crafter: Footjoy, Titleist, Feel Golf, Callaway
Zach Crist: K2 Skis
Dan Dakich: Nike, Adidas AAU Camp
Tony DiCicco: Adidas
Trent Dilfer: Nike, Callaway
Keir Dillon: Nike
Mike Ditka: Under Armour
Jimmy Dykes: Nike
Mary Joe Fernandez: Nike, Wilson
Fran Fraschilla: Nike Skills Camp
Brad Gilbert: Nike, Wilson
Kirk Herbstreit: Nike
Keyshawn Johnson: Under Armour
Bill Kratzert: Ashworth, Adidas, TaylorMade
Kara Lawson: Nike
Jamie Little: Oakley
Sal Masekela: Nike, Oakley
Dennis McCoy: Vans
John McEnroe: Nike, Dunlop
Patrick McEnroe: USTA "General Manager of Player Development," Nike, Wilson
Jeremy McGrath: Sky Optics, DC Shoes, DC Riding Gear, Troy Lee Designs, Dunlop Tires, Coyne Powersports Group, Motorcycle Mechanics, Specialized Bicycles
Rocco Mediate: Chervo, Par West, Titleist, V1, Vharness Clubs, Adams Golf, Club Fourteen, Taggart, Audemars Piguet, InBalance
Jessica Mendoza: Nike, Louisville Slugger, Dudley, Spalding
Urban Meyer: Nike
Andy North: F2, Fairway and Greens
Chris Pastras: Converse
Kyle Peterson: Easton
Judy Rankin: Adidas
Jalen Rose: AEG sponsored by Nike
Tes Sewell: Oakley, Fox Racing, Ogio, DC
Pam Shriver: Yonex Corp
Miles Simon: Nike Skills Camp
Michele Smith: Rip-It Sporting Goods, Three-and-Two, JUGS Pitching Machines
Curtis Strange: Nike, Administaff
Rick : Nike
Taylor Twellman: Nike
Scott Van Pelt: Titleist
Robin Ventura: Easton
Jay Walker: Russell Athletic
Rusty Wallace: Oakley, Toyota
Cat Whitehill: Nike
Jay Williams: Under Armour





ESPN Commentators Now Have Guidelines When it Comes to Endorsements

By Kelly McBride and Regina McCombs

Erin Andrews' Reebok contract will not be approved again, but her Diet Mountain Dew commercials with Kenny Mayne stand. Scott Van Pelt's Titleist contract? Soon to be gone. Mike Ditka's and Keyshawn Johnson's Under Armour deals? No problem.

ESPN last week unveiled its new endorsement guidelines for commentators. To sum it up: Analysts such as Ditka and Johnson can enter into most endorsement deals, from adidas cleats to Yonex rackets, pending approval. Non-analysts, including anchors, writers, reporters, hosts and insiders -- those who do the work of journalists -- can take outside money only from organizations that don't create a conflict of interest, or even an appearance of one.
Three current endorsement contracts are in violation under the new guidelines but will be grandfathered temporarily. NASCAR reporter Jamie Little's Oakley endorsement, as well as Andrews' Reebok contract and Van Pelt's Titleist contract will be allowed, but must expire at the earliest opportunity. Anchor Chris Fowler recently had a speaking engagement deal with Nike, but that's already over.
These new guidelines are an important step forward and will go a long way toward bolstering the network's image as an organization concerned with integrity and credibility. But it won't be enough. There is too much wiggle room carved out to accommodate big stars.
As a result, ESPN's critics will continue to question the loyalties of the most famous folks at the network. In the coming months, network executives might need to tighten the boundaries further to combat the persistent public perception that ESPN is compromised. In particular, whenever ESPN chooses to let a story that could potentially involve some level of conflict go uncovered, doubters will assign ulterior motives and no one will be able to change their minds.
ESPN's approach toward endorsements came under intense scrutiny earlier this year when Reebok rolled out its Andrews campaign two weeks after she reported on traction issues with Nike cleats during the Rose Bowl.
Sports journalists outside the network pointed out the conflict of interest: Andrews was reporting critically on the performance of one shoe company's products and would soon appear in paid promotion for another shoe company. In the surge of attention, bloggers and reporters noted that although her reporting seemed above board, her competing loyalties created, at minimum, the perception of unfairness.
In response to that and other issues, network executives began a review and revision of the guidelines. The ESPN brass understands that, fair or foul, fans make judgments and assign motives to ESPN and its commentators. When it comes to credibility, perception can be as damaging as an actual breach. Hence the new guidelines, distributed internally and externally, represent progress. The network's previous approach toward endorsements was not widely understood or distributed, and it was not included in ESPN's standards and practices rollout earlier this year.
The new guidelines address issues of appearance, as well as substance. The policy explicitly forbids:
• Using ESPN logos in endorsements
• Working for direct competitors of ESPN or parent company Disney
• Paid appearances for professional teams, colleges, booster clubs or athletic associations
The following categories are classified as strict review, under the presumption they will not be approved:
• Political endorsements
• Gambling, lottery or firearms endorsements
• Apparel, footwear, training and athletic equipment endorsements
Except there's one whopping exception to that last clause: analysts. These are the men and women who typically played or coached a sport, and they make up more than half of the 1,000-plus public-facing individuals ESPN refers to as "talent." That means most of the talent it employs can enter into the very type of contract that prompted the outcry in the first place.
As part of the new guidelines, the network has listed "all relevant, approved talent endorsements" on ESPN.com. That list includes 51 analysts who have endorsements that could be perceived as conflicting, based on the above criteria. Other analysts, and some reporters, have endorsement contracts that are not noted because executives have decided that they do not present a perception problem (think food or restaurant endorsements, not athletic equipment).
Why would the network create a two-tiered system in which some people are allowed conflicts of interest and others aren't? According to ESPN executives, it's a matter of practicality, rooted both in the culture of sports and in finances. Endorsements are part of the benchmark of success in sports -- nearly all successful athletes have promotional deals. They are also financially lucrative. In some cases, depending on workload for the network -- say, covering a few events a year for ESPN -- some talent can make as much in endorsements as from ESPN.
"Ultimately, our goal is to serve sports fans with the best commentators available," said Norby Williamson, ESPN's executive vice president for production. "These [endorsement] relationships are an established part of the environment that the analysts exist in. It's standard operating procedure. It's clearly beyond our control. We believe we'd put ourselves at a competitive disadvantage [if the network didn't allow the outside deals]."
That's certainly true. NBC Sports and Fox Sports, for example, don't prohibit their analysts from having outside contracts -- instead, they simply insist on prior review. And even some of the most traditional and well-respected journalists within ESPN told us they didn't see a way around the compromise.
"ESPN is living in the real world and trying to deal with it," said Wright Thompson, a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. "It's a great big complicated world. They employ basically anonymous people like me, and they hire celebrities."
Moreover, the ESPN journalists and analysts we interviewed universally took umbrage at the notion that an outside contract, even a lucrative one, would create bias in their work.
"My loyalties are always to ESPN and the job and to basketball," said Jay Bilas, a former Duke basketball player and coach and a longtime network analyst. "I do this because I love basketball. When someone asks me a question, my job is to provide a factual basis for my opinion."
Bilas said he used to have an endorsement contract with KFC that was brokered by ESPN. He currently is paid to endorse a chocolate milk product from Shamrock Farms.
Jeremy Schaap, a radio host and "E:60" reporter, told us he thought the policy made great advances.
"It makes perfect sense -- it's a reasonable policy," he said. "Of course, there's very fine line between someone like [analysts] Kirk Herbstreit or John Kruk and someone who does straight reporting. But our best consumer is an educated consumer."
Said Schaap of the network taking the step of publicly disclosing the list of endorsements, "Who else does that?" And while the transparency of presenting the list on ESPN.com is another good step forward, it still doesn't resolve the underlying conflict of interest.
New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick did an excellent job of explaining how problematic certain commercial endorsements can be, pointing out after the Andrews story went public that many analysts on the ESPN college football team have endorsement contracts with Nike.
"Nike, as if they and ESPN didn't know, is the largest steamroller among the sneaker cartel that has infiltrated, penetrated, dominated and eviscerated U.S. high school and college sports," Mushnick wrote. "But it's not as if [Lee] Corso, Herbstreit and Fowler would have any reason to report on any of that, ya know? And it's not as if Nike would have any reason to pay them off, ya know?"
OK, that's a little hyperbolic. Yet, based on the released list, Nike has by far the largest share of ESPN endorsements. The company has contracts with two dozen members of the ESPN talent team. Two dozen. That makes Mushnick's argument more plausible. ESPN is the self-proclaimed "worldwide leader in sports." If any news organization has the capacity and reporting ability to hold the most powerful companies in the sporting world accountable, it's ESPN.
Nike commands the sports shoe market. If ever a behemoth of a sports company merited scrutiny, it's Nike. Whether it's overseas labor practices or the targeted marketing of outlandishly priced products to poor teenagers, someone should be asking tough questions of the corporation. ESPN should be asking those tough questions -- and it has in the past, on ESPN.com, "Outside the Lines" and other platforms. But when it does so, does the audience trust the reporting? Worse yet, if ESPN doesn't investigate Nike, or scrutinizes Nike and finds nothing amiss, will the viewers believe the story? Those are legitimate questions.
There are portions of this policy that acknowledge this reality.
For example, why can't anyone at ESPN, even an analyst, take a contract from a college or professional team? Because ESPN likely covers that team. It's challenging enough to create a perception of fairness during a game broadcast (That's probably the chief complaint in the mailbag: "ESPN folks hate Team X or Team Y, my team.") But it would be even harder to maintain credibility in the face of a perceived conflict of interest when the stakes get higher.
What if a player dies because an unreasonable coach bullied him into running too far in the August heat? Or an athletic program covers up the criminal activity of its star athletes? ESPN puts such restrictions into the endorsement guidelines because it recognizes that it would strain trust among the audience if even one person were perceived to be "on a team's payroll."
ESPN wants to provide that same level of accountability to other powerful forces, such as the private corporations involved in sports. In keeping its journalists free of conflicts of interest, it certainly has the capacity to do so. But the biggest risk to the network's credibility comes not from the stories it tackles but those it lets slide. In that vacuum, fans create their own theories, most of them calling ESPN's ethics into question
So yes, many steps forward have been taken with these new guidelines. They were widely distributed; they prevent those primarily responsible for doing journalism at the network from conflicted financial arrangements; and the relevant endorsement deals for talent are disclosed.
But it should go further. Short of preventing all talent -- including former coaches and players -- from signing contracts that pose a conflict, the ESPN policy could place term limits on making such endorsement deals. After a fixed time, say five years of ESPN work, analysts would have to make a choice -- sports celebrity or journalism.
And the network should find ways to be even more transparent about endorsements, such as disclosing all contracts, not just those with sporting goods manufacturers. It would be interesting, as well as revelatory, and could potentially strengthen the network's credibility with the audience.
"We thought about that," said Laurie Orlando, the network's senior vice president for talent. "I don't know that we need to post every single endorsement. We know about all of them. We felt the need to post those that could potentially pose a conflict."
This policy does move the ever-expanding world of sports journalism down the road toward professionalism. There's room for improvement, though, and if ESPN honchos are willing to keep refining the guidelines (as they say they are), then, like a muscle you keep flexing, the policy will only get stronger.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Todd McShay's Mock Draft - Cleveland Browns 2011 Schedule -

Cleveland Browns
2011 Regular Season

1 Sunday Sep. 11 1:00 PM   Bengals - - -
2 Sunday Sep. 18 1:00 PM at Colts - - -
3 Sunday Sep. 25 1:00 PM   Dolphins - - -
4 Sunday Oct. 2 1:00 PM   Titans - - -
5 Bye Week
6 Sunday Oct. 16 4:05 PM at Raiders - - -
7 Sunday Oct. 23 1:00 PM   Seahawks - - -
8 Sunday Oct. 30 4:15 PM at 49ers - - -
9 Sunday Nov. 6 1:00 PM at Texans - - -
10 Sunday Nov. 13 1:00 PM   Rams - - -
11 Sunday Nov. 20 1:00 PM   Jaguars - - -
12 Sunday Nov. 27 1:00 PM at Bengals - - -
13 Sunday Dec. 4 1:00 PM   Ravens - - -
14 Thursday Dec. 8 8:20 PM at Steelers - - -
15 Sunday Dec. 18 4:15 PM at Cardinals - - -
16 Saturday Dec. 24 1:00 PM at Ravens - - -
17 Sunday Jan. 1 1:00 PM   Steelers - - -



Todd McShay's Mock Draft
4-20-2011


Carolina Panthers
Record: 2-14 | Needs: QB, DT, CB, OLB, TECam Newton, QB, Auburn
Scenario 1: The information I'm hearing about this pick is not changing, so for now I'm working with the assumption that Newton is the pick.
Scenario 2: Address a pressing need at defensive tackle with Alabama's Marcell Dareus, who I believe is the best player in this class.
Scenario 3: Go with Missouri's Blaine Gabbert -- who I rate 10 spots higher than Newton -- at quarterback. Note: I'm hearing things about LSU CB Patrick Peterson and Georgia WR A.J. Green, but based on positional value, it's hard to believe the Panthers would go in either of those directions.

Denver Broncos
Record: 4-12 | Needs: DT, ILB, TE, S, QBMarcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
Scenario 1: Dareus remains the likely choice here. There is no better match between need and value in the first round.
Scenario 2: If Dareus is gone, Texas A&M OLB Von Miller is the pick for a team looking to upgrade on defense.
Scenario 3: Taking a quarterback is the wild card here. Vice president of football operations John Elway has given no indication he's in love with either of the top two signal-callers, but we continue to hear the organization does not believe 2010 first-rounder Tim Tebow is the long-term answer.

Buffalo Bills
Record: 4-12 | Needs: LOT, OLB, QB, DE, TEVon Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
Scenario 1: Miller is the premier pass-rusher in this class and fits perfectly at outside linebacker in Buffalo's 3-4 defense. This is the smart pick, but still a tough pill to swallow given the lack of production the Bills have gotten from 2009 first-rounder Aaron Maybin.
Scenario 2: Use this pick on one of the quarterbacks, likely Newton if he's on the board.
Scenario 3: The only other player I'm hearing even whispers about is Peterson.

Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 4-12 | Needs: QB, WR, DT, OT, RBA.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Scenario 1: There are reports that the Bengals think Alabama's Julio Jones is a better fit in their version of the West Coast offense, but I think Green is on another level in terms of explosiveness and ball skills.
Scenario 2: Take Jones if he truly is the better player for their system.
Scenario 3: There are conflicting rumors about whether the Bengals are ready to move on from the Carson Palmer era and I've heard offensive coordinator Jay Gruden likes both Newton and Gabbert, so quarterback is not out of the question. I'm also hearing they are high on TCU's Andy Dalton, so keep an eye out for a trade back into the late first round.

Arizona Cardinals
Record: 5-11 | Needs: QB, OLB, OT/OG, TE, CBBlaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Scenario 1: The Cardinals need an upgrade at quarterback, and while I've been told they are not that crazy about Gabbert or Newton, my gut feeling is that they will take the QB who's available.
Scenario 2: If it's not a quarterback, then the pass rush becomes a priority, and North Carolina DE/OLB Quinn becomes the pick.
Scenario 3: Peterson does not fill a pressing need but would be a value pick even at this spot.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

: With Sizemore back, Tribe for Real - Barnes' return completes Carolina coup - It’s Hillis vs. Vick for the Madden 12 cover


With Sizemore back, Tribe for Real
It took a bit of extra-innings heroics, but the Indians won yet another ballgame on Monday night and now boast the American League's best record at 12-4.

They're getting contributions from all around. Travis Hafner looks like a new man, sporting a .353/.414/.647 batting line and four home runs through 51 at-bats. Asdrubal Cabrera leads the club with 14 RBI, Justin Masterson is delivering ace-like performances every time out, and closer Chris Perez has allowed only two hits in seven appearances. He has five saves.

Then there's Grady Sizemore.

The 28-year-old was activated from the disabled list on Sunday and slugged a home run in his second plate appearance of the season. It was his first big fly since August of 2009 and he went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in an encore performance Monday night against the Royals. If Sizemore hits like he's capable of hitting and his knees stay cooperative, perhaps the Tribe can turn this early season spurt into something real.

They've won four straight games and 12 of their last 14. Now let's hit the news...





It’s Hillis vs. Vick for the Madden 12 cover

In one of the only upsets we may see in 2011, given the whole lockout thing, Browns running back Peyton Hillis has ousted Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Madden 12 cover competition.
Somehow, Hillis mustered more votes than Rodgers in an election that was opened up to the fans.
Sure, Browns fans are zealous — but so are Packers fans. Maybe, in the end, the Cheesehead base didn’t turn out the way they should have, assuming that Rodgers easily would win.
Hillis will need even more help if he hopes to upend Mike Vick, who bested Adrian Peterson for the other spot in the finals.
Given that Hillis has a much lower profile than Vick, the next vote could end up becoming a public referendum on Vick, one of the most polarizing figures in all of sports. The fact that he is so close to returning to the cover of the Madden franchise, however, is remarkable, given the ups and downs of his career and his life during and after a federal incarceration for conspiracy to engage in gambling and dogfighting.
Cast your vote at ESPN.com through April 27. The winner will be announced on SportsNation that same day, the four-year anniversary of the date on which Vick first denied any knowledge of or involvement in the dogfighting operation that had been discovered on property he owns in rural Virginia.







Barnes' return completes Carolina coup, makes Heels No. 1 in '11-12

The morning after the title game is not the ideal time to rank teams for next season, but it's become a national-writer tradition to do so, and the list tends to have a bigger readership than the title-game column, so who am I to refuse? The process requires putting out feelers, because little has been decided at that point: The indications were that Kansas' Morris twins, and possibly Josh Selby, were gone; Texas' Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson might leave; and Kentucky's Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones might do the same. But the most intriguing chatter was that North Carolina's Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Tyler Zeller -- all projected first-rounders -- were serious about staying in school with a potential NBA lockout looming. "I hope it's not just wishful thinking," one UNC source said.
It was enough to make the Tar Heels my provisional No. 1 on April 5, and it turns out it wasn't just wishful thinking. On Monday, with Barnes' announcement that he was returning for his sophomore year, they pulled off the coup of keeping all the major parts together from this season's Elite Eight team, meaning that they're likely to officially begin the 2011-12 season at No. 1. (Kentucky could make its own case if Knight and Jones pass on the draft, but that would be an even bigger coup.)
Barnes' decision stands out in the context of his highly-rated peers; as was pointed out on Twitter, he's the first player in the last five years who didn't go one-and-done after being ranked in the top four on Scout and Rivals.com's prospect lists. But Barnes has a strong family situation and didn't need to rush into his first pro contract, a la Selby. Barnes could consider the big picture, and realize that he'd leave no legacy at Carolina if he left after one season, despite the fact that he was a projected top-five pick.
As a business major with a mindset that's as much MBA as it is NBA, Barnes knows full well that his personal brand would be enhanced by a national title -- particularly one that comes exactly 30 years after the Tar Heels won it all with Michael Jordan, the player Barnes' mother, Shirley, had him model himself after as a kid. Last summer, Barnes said that he viewed college, at the very least, as a "networking opportunity," and a championship would forever link him with UNC's legends. An immediate jump to the pros would have made him only a Brandan Wright-esque afterthought.

Now that Barnes is officially back, here are four thoughts on the 2011-12 Tar Heels:

1. If Barnes picks up where he left off this March, he should give Ohio State's Jared Sullinger a run for National Player of the Year honors. Barnes' early struggles were well-chronicled, while Sullinger was a beast from Day 1, but a side-by-side examination of their freshman seasons reveals two very different trajectories.
First, let's look at the trendlines of their respective offensive efficiency ratings (essentially points per possession) across 2010-11. The chart below shows each player's running five-game average from November-March, with a polynomial trendline. Barnes makes a significant surge in the last two months, while Sullinger is trending downward:
Barnes' surge is even more impressive when you consider that he was taking on an increasingly larger role in Carolina's offense down the stretch. This second chart compares running five-game averages of the percentage of team shots taken by each player. Sullinger's usage rate stays relatively flat around 25 percent, but Barnes' trends into the 30s:
2. This Tar Heels team could set a draft record. At best, they can tie the record held by '99 Duke and '05 Carolina for four lottery picks from one team -- Barnes, Henson, Zeller and James McAdoo are all in DraftExpress.com's 2012 lottery. But they have a chance to put six players in the first round, breaking the mark set by Kentucky in '10, if point guard Kendall Marshall and two-guard Reggie Bullock elevate their draft stock with big performances in a national-title run. They're both currently viewed as fringe first-rounders, and Bullock has much to prove after an injury-shortened rookie campaign.
3. If you thought the Carolina frontcourt was good last season, with Barnes-Henson-Zeller as the 3-4-5, it's only going to get better once 6-foot-8 freshman McAdoo is added to the rotation. He's a highly developed power forward who can play the 4 or 5 spots, and doesn't need much seasoning; DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony has called McAdoo a college version of Tim Duncan, and says that while Barnes is still the bigger NBA prospect at present, "McAdoo is not that far behind him." Both players could go in the top five in 2012.
4. The Heels do have some flaws, the first being that they were a subpar free-throw shooting team last season, ranking 236th nationally, at 67.2 percent. Henson's 47.9 percent is the most glaring problem, but an equally bigger issue is that the guy they'll like to have handling the ball in late-game situations, Marshall, shot just 69.0 percent as a freshman. For comparison, the lead guard in this year's title game, Kemba Walker, shot 81.9 percent from the stripe.
This Carolina crew is also questionable from long range. Roy Williams' '05 title team ranked seventh nationally in three-point percentage, and his '09 team ranked 24th, while the '10 Tar Heels ranked 248th, at 32.8 percent. Bullock, who was hailed as a big-time shooter as a recruit, hit just 29.6 percent and needs to step up. If they're hurting for long-range marksmen, freshman P.J. Hairston could serve as an instant-offense option off the bench. Scouting reports project him as the kind of gunner who can connect at a 40 percent clip, and on a team with a less-loaded roster, Hairston would be an immediate starter with a double-digit scoring average. For these Heels, he'll have to be content as a role player. Such is the trade-off when you're chasing a championship.