Money to Blow

Dez Bryant recently paid nearly $55,000 on dinner for the entire Dallas Cowboys roster thanks to Roy Williams inability to let stupid rookie hazing go away. Initially, you think its not that much considering how much money they make. But really 55k averages a little more than a grand person. Don't worry that includes tax and gratuity, something us normal folks always hate to see on our bill. Let's point out the impact of the expensive bill and stupidness of fiscal hazing:

• possible lockout next year meaning, Dez, you're not playing. Save up buddy!
• Owners will use this against the players in the lockout negotiations. Players ask for more money, owners say stop the stupid spending, players react by saying JerryWorld in Arlington wasn't their idea, owners say if there was no stadium you wouldn't be playin meaning no money for you. This could go on forever but I'll stop.
• Bryant is only guaranteed 8 million of his rookie contract. This is before tax, agent fees, normal expenses (housing, food, water), stupid expenses (pricey cars, bottle service, expensive clothes). So 55K is probably a huge chunk of your income considering you've only earned 4 weeks of pay
• A 21 year old doesn't need this because 10 years from now he will think it is ok and 5 years after that he will be broke. NFL needs to teach fiscal responsibility. These guys are supposed to be role models, remember?
• which of the Cowboys snitched on the bill? This should be kept in house. Bragging about this kind of money doesn't make us fans feel so great. Don't belittle us
• Cowboys are 1-2. I don't think now is the time to having crazy dinners, getting fat on 20oz Kobe steak and drinking about $900 bottles of wine. Hit the weight boys.

In all seriousness, ESPN and the media needs to stop reporting this story and other crazy hazing done in professional sports. The "promotion" causes those who watch and read about it think its okay. Consider the plentiful college audience who watch ESPN and are in fraternities and sororities. They don't have money to haze like Dez but they definitely will get creative and push it to the limit. Bad news bears waiting to happen.

Winning Team, Losing Fans

How the hell are the Rays' fans not showing up to their games? They've clinched the division. Some of the craziest crowds come out to see a team win the division. The roaring sound when the team makes the final out is too exciting to pass up. They are always the underdog against the New York Yankees so every baseball fan is rooting for them but not the city itself? After having the players call out their fans to show a little support and be there to enjoy the moment, the organization is giving away 20,000 free tickets for their last home game. That's a huge loss of revenue! After the season they will be cutting their $70 million payroll to 50 because not even the current good team can keep the organization afloat. So there goes some of the players from a world series caliber team. Now they will retool and maybe won't be this good for 2-3 years. Imagine how many "fans" show up next year. Maybe a thousand or is that too much?


So why does no one show up? Because the NFL season started? Wait no one goes to Jaguars games anyways and the Bucs are border line decent. Maybe its the college football teams? Eh, they're only ranked but nothing to rave about. Seems like the residents of Florida just aren't into sports as much as other states. Or maybe more people care about the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat opening training camp?

Astros in the World Series!!

Haha no, no, just kidding. Kind of. Seems like everyone is picking the Phils and Yanks to meet up in the fall classic. Obviously, they have tons of talent but former Astros - Lance Berkman & Roy Oswalt - have given them a significant boost. Oswalt in his last 9 starts (he's started 10 with the Phils) he has 7 wins with an ERA close to 1 with a strikeout per inning. Berkman has slowly risen his batting average 20 percentage points and gotten on base. And you can't forget about Senior VP for baseball operation for the Tampa Bay Rays, Gerry Hunsicker. He's constructed a world series team with a low budget.

Imagine if they were still in Houston. As usual, the Astros would of had their late season run. Maybe erase an early season 8 game losing streak. Crazy enough, the Astros have climbed the standings and only 8 games under .500. Oh well, season over.

Culture Shock

While watching last nights Jets-Dolphins game, I noticed all the Spanish graphics and promotion of Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic Heritage Month begun on September 15th, however, I don't remember seeing any of the Spanish graphics last football weekend. Last weekend was around the time the whole Jets-Ines Sainz incident occurred. In case you missed it - Ines Sainz, a Mexican reporter for TV Azteca, claimed many Jets' players made inappropriate comments towards her in their locker room. I definitely don't condone passing comments at her but if you Google her and take a look at how she dresses (in the locker room of all places!), she kind of is asking for it. Anyways, its ironic the NFL's promotion of HHM came the weekend after the incident and also pretty heavily during the Jets' game. Leave it to the NFL to cover its track. Makes me think Jets' owner Woody Johnson also was involved in orchestrating this plan. He is clearly tired of the bad publicity his team gets from Hard Knocks to his players' off the field issues. Lost in all this is that the Jets are actually pretty good. Run first with a nice offensive line with a rising quarterback combined with a defense playing without their best player - Darrelle Revis.

Melo Not Thinking Straight

In recent weeks, we've heard rumors that star Carmelo Anthony may be going to New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Houston and pretty much any team imaginable. He wants to get out of Denver and be like his buddies in Miami and create his own triplet tandem. Anthony wants to leave Denver but why? Aren't the Nuggets championship caliber? Yes. Doesn't the western conference look a little easier with all those powerhouses in the east? Yes. Who would you rather play in the playoffs Miami, Chicago, Boston, Orlando or Lakers, Thunder or one of the 3 teams from Texas? I think the latter is a relatively easier road for the Nuggets. LeBron did his homework on the quickest way to win multiple rings, take note Melo.


So why leave Denver? Who gives a crap if the city may not have the big lights like NY or Miami? Anthony should try getting players to come play in Denver with him. After this season, pending Anthony taking the extension or not, Nuggets have close to enough money to sign a max contract type player (about $43ish million on the books). Anthony and a future free agent can both take less amount of money (like bff Lebron) and allow the team to have some flexibility. If the Nuggets want to really change it up and have more cash, they don't have to pick up Chauncey's option but they really should. Carmelo Anthony needs to do some thinking and decide if leaving is about winning or being another big ego star. Cause if its about winning, stay in Denver.


If the Nuggets do end up trading Anthony, they should really consider Houston over New York. I say this because Houston pretty much owns NY's draft picks. Keep Anthony away from NY, Knicks loses more than its wins, those picks look awesome and basically a more attractive package for Denver. Or look at Portland if you want players over picks. Yes, you keep Anthony in the division but you'll get over that if you have the talent to retool your team.

What's in the Texans Water?

Random NFL players are tested on a weekly basis during the season so its not surprising players get caught. It is surprising that two players from the same team are suspended at the same time. Texans' left tackle Duane Brown was suspended for taking a banned substance considered a performance enhancing drug. Clearly, Brown has been hanging out with already banned Brian Cushing. What the heck is going on in Houston? The team is making some noise on the field with their play. And now they bring some negativity to the organization. The rest of the league has to be somewhat interested in what treatment players in Houston are getting. I'm going to reverse the old saying - fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice, shame on you. In the end, owner Bob McNair may finally get his wish to be on HBO's Hard Knocks because this is the type of material that gets you selected.

By the way, have you seen Andre Johnson. That guy is beastly!

Vick is back!

Michael Vick was named the starting quarterback of the Eagles for week 3 in a move that coach Andy Reid said was a "football decision". There are a couple of things I take away from this move.

• Vick has a chance to show the world he is "fo real" back with consecutive awesome games
• If Vick retains the position for the long term then essentially the Eagles switched McNabb for Vick but paid Kolb the money?? Can't say that was a good football move or a good business decision
• Imagine what this does for Vick if the Eagles win the division. You can't say they will but considering the rest of the teams you can't say they won't. He may be considered a savior or a hero. Another athlete to throw into the "do bad but perform and all is forgotten" category - Ray Lewis, Kobe Bryant, Big Ben, maybe Tiger...you get the idea.
• I still think Vick should of never been suspended but now that he is playing, has some fresh legs, proper mechanics and experience...WATCH OUT! He brings some good football skills to a young talented offense - McCoy, Maclin, Jackson & Vick

Weekend Quick Hits

Best part of football being back - saying "OOOOOOO" whenever there is a big hit, missed catch or a terrible call. Here's my take on a great weekend of pro and college football (and the VMA's were good too, AWESOME stage setup). Starting with the youngns below.

• Thanks for playing this season Boise State, Virginia Tech ruined any hope you had.
• UCLA sucks, I expect nothing less than a thrashing when they visit Austin
• Will the real Kansas Jayhawks stand up? Lose 6-3 to a FCS team last week, beat a ranked team this week.
• Oregon can score all they want, they are overrated.
• If ESPN is going to put a non-Big 10 game in the first slot, make sure its exciting. You can't have a boring SEC game - South Carolina vs Georgia
• Denard Robinson is one sick athlete. Perfect for Rich Rodriguez's system. Too bad ND's quarterback, Dayne Crist, got hurt in the 1st half. Hell of a game though.
• OU is good. Oct 2nd in Dallas should be fun.

Big money boys -

• Cowboys-Redskins was boring besides the last minute of each half. Why is Alex Barron even on a team? What skill does he posses? The most penalized player in the league since 2005 has a job? Would I have a job if I cost my company $500 everytime I showed up to work?
• Chris Johnson will have 2000 yards. Who cares if they played the Raiders? He is a MOAM - Man On A Mission.
• Detroit Lions got robbed like any house in a bad neighborhood. Johnson's catch was called incomplete because he didn't have a "second move" or complete the process of the catch??? Umm, hello!...he caught the ball, took like 3 steps, butt hits the ground, PALMED THE BALL THE ENTIRE TIME!! That my friend is a touchdown.
• Don't doubt the Pats. Brady to Moss will be unleashed while the Bengals will be a bust unless they get it together quick.
• Packers may be a Super Bowl favorite but they still need to get their offensive line together.
• I like Kolb but Vick is another MOAM (man on a mission, you should of caught on by now). Always been a big fan of Vick, never thought he should of went to prison and if he gets his chance this year he will definitely will be starting for a team next year.
• Hey Vikings, the team is more than Favre. There is a guy call All Day Adrian Peterson and he is hiding behind Favre's big swollen ankle.
• Number 1 pick Sam Bradford threw the ball 55 times!! Who is he throwing it to? Mark Clayton caught 10 of Bradford's 32 completions/
• Cool catch by Mike Williams in a game nobody watched, click here --> tip drill catch
• Giants win NFC East
• Best for last. ARIAN FOSTER!!!!!!!!!!! The Colts' D is good, especially the front 4, so don't say this a lucky game for Foster. Every other team is revamping how they defend the Texans. Pick your poison - Schaub to Andre or Foster down your throats!