Snooki To Get Into The Boxing Business

Jersey Shore star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi has turned out to be a pretty savvy businesswoman. I'm not calling her Bill Gates smart, it's just that she's turned her reality TV role into business ventures outside of television.

Her next venture is Team Snooki. That is her boxing team that will feature the Hyland brothers. Three Irish brothers that are champions in their weight classes. I don't know which division or belts they hold, but that's what I'm led to believe.  

Patrick “Pajo”, Eddie and Paul Hyland will headline a night of boxing at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

“We are incredibly excited to introduce The Hyland Brothers and Team Snooki Boxing. We’ve seen what these boys can do, and expect nothing less than continued success and ‘living up to the hype’ for each of them here in the States,” Vice President of Final Round Promotions Mike Pascale said in a press release.

I guess the Snooki brand has reached the world of sports.









     

Saunders Gets Techinical For Sending In An Ineligible Player

The NBA season isn't all that old. So there might be some mistakes early in the season that you can correct so they don't bite you in the ass later in the season. With a prolonged lockout the play and mistakes on the court may look ugly at times. You just don't expect it to spill over to the coaches.

But I'm talking about the Washington Wizards and they've already had some early season dust-ups within the locker room. And the coach Flip Saunders isn't much better.

You should already know my feelings about Saunders, and this current mistake confirms it.

He sent Roger Mason into the game in the first quarter. He scored a basket and appeared to give the Wiz some quality minutes. Problem is, Mason wasn't on the active roster. The Wizards were assessed a technical foul and the basket was credited to Rashard Lewis. Nice to see him earning his keep.

Seems a little dumb to have someone on the bench, dressed to play, who is ineligible. You know, in case something like this happens. It is 100% inexcusable. Flip Saunders is one of the worst coaches in the game so this does not surprise me. He should be in an ice shanty fishing on some lake in Minnesota. He can't coach his way out of a paper bag.

Welker Fined $10,000 For Wearing An Unautorized Hat

On the heels of Marshawn Lynch being fined $10,000 over his Skittles inspired cleats he wore last week, New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker is being fined $10,000 for wearing an unauthorized hat. A hat he's been wearing after games and during interviews all season.

Wes Welker was fined $10,000 by the league for wearing an "unauthorized hat during his postgame interview," according to a league spokesman.

The hat in question is a Bonk Breaker hat. Bonk Breaker is a gluten free, dairy free energy bar and Welker is an investor in the company. 

Welker isn't too happy about having to fork over $10,000 for some nonsense.

“Got fined by the NFL for wearing a @Bonk_Breaker hat in an interview after the game,” Welker wrote. “Thanks for warning me the other 16 weeks I wore the hat.”

At least give the man a warning if you have a problem with it. It's like getting wrote up at work for something you did 9 months ago. It's good that the NFL has their priorities together reagrding whta you can get fined for. 

     

Ohio State vs. Michigan....In October?

Wolverine and Buckeye might find themselves on the same side of the fence again in their fight for tradition.

Once again the Big Ten is threatning to move the Michigan/Ohio State game to October, away from their traditonal late November, season ending clash. the reasoning behind it all. To keep the rivals from a possible following week rematch in the conference title game.

It's only a rumor right now, but according to a report on Bucknuts.com , it may be closer than reality than some think.



That’s right, “The Game” might no longer be the final game of the regular season for both schools. And while we despise the idea of the Buckeyes and Wolverines not playing the last game of the regular season, this move was inevitable when the Big Ten made the foolish decision to put OSU and UM in separate divisions. If “The Game” was kept as the final regular-season tilt of the year, there would be a good chance each season that Ohio State and Michigan would meet exactly one week after “The Game” to play in the Big Ten Championship Game.


Now, is this move official? No. But we have people we trust telling us that it’s eventually going to happen.

I won't say yay or nay on this, but I say just leave well enough alone, but I'm not the decision maker.










    

LaMichael James Freaked Out By Space Mountain

The Oregon Ducks are making another Rose Bowl trip and I suppose they are making the most out of their time in sunny southern California. You know the sightseeing perks the teams get before the game itself.

On Tuesday the Ducks mad a trip to Disneyland and some took a ride on Space Mountain. I would assume that most enjoyed it, but based on this photo, running back LaMichael James didn't share the same enthusiam as others on the ride.

At my advanced age I stay away from roller coasters but I've never had this kind of reaction.

Wade Says Beasley Needs To Dedicate Himself To The Game

Michael Beasley came into the NBA with a ton of hype and ability. The only concern any scouts had about Beasley were between the ears. I guess he may have been a little space headed. He still has ability to be a top shelf player in the NBA, that's not going anywhere. The question is whether or not Beasley can properly dedicate himself to the game.

Former Miami Heat teammate Dwayne Wade says that if Beasley is ever going to live up to his billing that he must have the focus and dedication to get there. A winning environment might also help.

“Michael is an unbelievable talent,” Wade said. “And he can erupt any game, any moment. The ability that he has to use both hands around the basket, finishing. His jumpshot. He has all the tools. With Michael, it’s just going to take him to continue to grow at the game, and get to a winning environment, and start understanding what his team needs from him. I mean, he’s a good player. He’s one of the best young talents that we have in the game. But he has the potential to be a great player. If he wants it. And that’s what we always told him in Miami. So we’ll see.”

To anyone that didn't know why Beasley was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a bag of hockey pucks, you know now. One day Beasley's mind might catch up with his body.


 

Lynch's Skittles Shoes Cost Him $10,000

The NFL's uniform police has a problem with Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Earlier this year Lynch was fined $5,000 large for wearing lime green socks against the St. Louis Rams.

Now the league is going after the shoes. After catching America's fancy by eating Skittles on the sidelines during the same Monday night game against the Rams, Lynch donned some Nike cleats with a Skittles candy pattern against San Francisco last week. Lynch will be fined $10,000 for violating the league's uniform policy a second time.

I know the NFL likes to keep everything in lockstep, but come on. The Seahawks have some of the worse uniforms in the league. I can't fault Lynch for trying to jazz them up a bit. Lighten up and focus on the bigger issues of the game like bad officiating and how to reduce concussions without taking the macho element of the game. It's not like hardcore fans look to see what uniform accessories players are wearing. I know I'm and I can care less what they wear out there.

I know what some say, it's a uniform and the rules should be followed. Sorry but I like a little showmanship. It's entertainment and a little individualism entertains me. Call me what you want but in a game like football there has to be some individualism as long as it isn't detrimental to the team and Lynch's shoes weren't detrimental to the team.    

Porcello Might Be Trade Bait

According to reports over the past few weeks, the Cubs may be looking to part with starting pitcher Matt Garza who went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 2011.


Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that in return for Garza, the Cubs will more than likely want young starting pitching in return which seems to be the case with any potential trade.

Earlier in the week, it was rumored that the Detroit Tigers could be interested in acquiring the 28-year-old right-hander who does have a history of pitching in the American League Central. The Tigers too also have some young pitching in the farm system including Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner.

But could the Tigers trade an arm already in the rotation?

Jason A. Churchill of ESPN believes that there is a possibility that the Tigers use Rick Porcello as bait to land Garza.

Porcello and Garza are different types of pitchers in their own right however Porcello would fit the bill in terms of what the Cubs are looking for in return.

McGrady Thinks Howard And Williams Will Land In Dallas

Dwight Howard is still waiting to be traded and Deron Williams wants help in New Jersey. The two parties recently had dinner together. It could've been to get an idea of where each other wanted to play at next season.

There is one person who thinks that they will end up playing together. Tracy McGrady. You see, McGrady can predict the future and in his future he sees that Howard and Williams will go and team up with Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. I bet Mark Cuban would love for that to be true. I'd rather have McGrady tell me tomorrow's winning lottery number.

It could happen, since the Mavs jettisoned some contributors from last year's championship team and acquired some cap space. Enough to land the two biggest fish in next year's free agent class.

"D-Will is from Dallas," McGrady said. "You've got Dirk Nowitzki there. They're going to have [cap space] there. That looks sweet. Dirk. D-Will. And then you get Dwight Howard. That's it, right there."


McGrady added: "Dwight's going to find a sweeter spot for him next year with him being a free agent, with D-Will being a free agent, and Dallas already having an established star there. ... Yup, Dallas."


A dream scenario for Mavs fans and a possible nightmare for opponents. I think it won't happen and look for the Los Angeles Lakers to be a player for either one.




  

   

Raiola Hopes He Doesn't Get A Full Moon On Sunday

Now that the Detroit Lions are somewhat relevant again (they are headed to the playoffs), Green Bay Packers fans might have a reason to make them a target. In the past it was a guaranteed win for the Packers so the fans had no reason to get riled up for the Lions. Now that there has been some bad blood recently (the Ndamukong Suh stomping) there might be a "full moon" of sorts on Sunday. Everyone knows that the Packer fans like to flash opponents their backsides when they get off the bus.

Leave it to the Lions center Dominic Raiola to stir the pot regarding the Packer backers.

"It looks like they live a simple life," he said. "They love the Packers and that's about it. They are passionate. They tailgate right in their backyards, right where we park our busses."

Raiola or the Lions haven't been the targets of a moon shot but they could be this Sunday.

"We get there too early, but that would be pretty awesome," Raiola said. "Well, I don't know if I want to see some of those people naked, though. They aren't in the best shape."


We'll have to see if that comment gets back to Green Bay.

Owens Might Be Close To Signing With Indoor Football Team

Terrell Owens might be on his way back to a stadium near you. Not really, but sources say that he could be close to signing a deal with the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League in suburban Dallas. According to general manager and former Dallas Cowboys great Drew Pearson and owner Jon Frankel, it would be a six figure deal and possibly a stake in ownership of "50 percent".

The Indoor Football League's 14-game season begins on Feb. 25 with training camp starting two weeks earlier. The Wranglers, who won the 16-team league's Lone Star Division last season, play home games in the 6,200-seat Allen Events Center.


This would be no more than a ploy to get fans in the seats and generate interest in the league. Hey, whatever it takes to get noticed. Pearson doesn't seem to mind the possible circus involved in a possible Owens signing.

"Whoever did sign him, say an NFL team, they would have to deal with the media circus that follows that," Pearson said. "And nobody wants that kind of distraction, especially in the middle of the season. But if we sign him, we want the media circus. We want to ignite that fire and to bring the attention to the Allen Wranglers."

"There's no other athlete in my opinion who could fit what I'm doing and what I'm asking more than Terrell Owens," Frankel said. "At the end of the day, it is about entertainment."


Spoken like true businessmen. Pearson and Frankel see this more of an opportunity for fans who can't go to an NFL game, a game like experience. I can't say I blame them.

It remains to be seen whether Owens will sign the deal, since he still is seeking a spot on an NFL roster.

At age 38, I still think he can play and is a genetic freak, but that's not the reason he's not on a roster, but the Wranglers braintrust doesn't mind the baggage he would bring. They want the exposure that would come with bringing him in. It's a risk, but it's one they don't mind taking.



 

Reckless Driving

Apparently Andrew Bynum still has to learn the rules of the road. After being pulled over back in November 2010 for going 110 mph in a 55 mph zone in his Ferrari and parking in a handicapped space while grocery shopping in July, Bynum racked up two more tickets...this week.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Bynum was pulled over Tuesday for driving without a license plate and having illegally tinted tail lights. Bynum walked away with a fix-it ticket. But it was not lesson learned, because today Bynum was pulled over in his Porsche 911 on the freeway for going over 80 mph. Bynum was cited and released.


Maybe it's time for Bynum to consider hiring a chauffer or maybe taking a cab or bus to get around since he can't follow the simple rules of the road.

Russell Westbrook's Cool Skates

I never was much of a skater and never will be. But if I ever decided that I wanted to lace up a pair I would go with the skates that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has.

Westbrook converted a pair of Air Jordan III's into some 'Roll Bounce' specials. Now if he can get some of the Jordan XI Concord's made into skates I'll really be impressed.    

Panthers LB Has His Guns Stolen

I guess returning items after Christmas isn't the best errand to run on the way to the shooting range. I know it's not the ideal trip, but some people do it. Like Carolina Panthers linebacker Kion Wilson. The problem with the trip was that Wilson had his guns stolen from his truck.

While Wilson went to return some items to a Charlotte area Best Buy store, Wilson had four guns stolen from his Ford F-150. A Glock 23, a 12-gauge shotgun, a 57 FN handgun and a Smith and Wesson were reported stolen to the Charlotte police on Monday. Before you question why Wilson possesed such an arsenal, the guns are registered and he is licensed to travel with them, hence the trip to the shooting range which he was going to after stopping at Best Buy.

The value of the guns is estimated at $1,700. Police are investigating into who stole the guns and the police report indicated that the door lock on the truck was damaged as well.


I know the NFL might look down on Wilson for having the guns, but more importantly there are some guns that might end up in the wrong hands if they aren't tracked down.
    

Crennel Wants To Knock The Broncos Out Of The Playoffs

The Kansas City Chiefs have endured a tough season. They've seen some of their key players (Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles, Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry and starting tight end Tony Moeaki) lost to season ending injuries, the head coach fired and a fair share of ugly losses. Through it all they came close to playing for the second straight AFC West title.

With the season about to end they have a chance to put an end to Tebow-mania and knock the Denver Broncos out of the playoffs. This also is a personal revenge game for the Chiefs' Kyle Orton, who was benched and released in favor of Tim Tebow. Interim head coach Romeo Crennel knows he'll be coaching for a shot at the permanent job and has no plans to lay down against Denver.

"All these players, they want to win. They want to try to win," the interim coach said Monday. "I don't think anybody goes into a game trying to lose. Every player wants to win."

"I know there are some questions about my status and how this game might affect my status. I've said all along that at the end of the year, a decision is going to be made, and I was going to do the best I could for the three games I had an opportunity to do that," Crennel said.



"The first game was a really good game. This game wasn't as good, and now I've got one more game. I try to win every game. Every game is important to me. So what will happen will happen. I don't believe what I say, what I think, is going to make any difference. It's what I do, the work that I put out there. That's the thing that will make the impact."

The ironic twist about the game is that a Kansas City win would help their bitter rival, the Oakland Raiders. I'm sure that's not why Crennel plans to go all out in this game. He wants to go out on a high note and possibly land a permanent job in the process. 









   

The Wizards Aren't On The Same Page

The NBA season is only two days old and the Washington Wizards look like a wayward ship already. After a season opening 90-84 loss to the New Jersey Nets, in which they were ahead by 21, there was a lot of negative energy going around the Wizards' locker room.

Of course it all starts with coach Flip Saunders, who I've said can't coach his way out of a paper bag. Just look at how a loaded Detroit Pistons team imploded after he took over. After the game Monday night there were fingers pointed at Flip and others.

Forward Andray Blatche questioned his offensive role and rookie Chris Singleton questioned the team's will to win. Also, center JaVale McGee left the locker room without speaking to reporters after being benched for the last 4 1/2 minutes of the game. Wow, Singleton's first game as a pro and he's already questioning teammates. I wonder how that'll go over in the clubhouse. Of course Saunders had an answer for the loss, disharmony and selfish play.

“It’s a fine line. Is it trust? Or is it, ‘I think that I can make a play to get us going again’ and you try to do it individually,” Saunders said. “In our league, you can’t do it, unless you’re one of the elite players. We don’t have anyone that’s at that elite status right now like [Nets all-star guard] Deron Williams.”

The Wizards have some raw young talent, but it'll take a while for them to put it together, but don't throw them under the bus because New Jersey has Deron Williams. You have to build up young players sometimes at the same time give them no excuses when going against an elite performer.

Blatche was left questioning his role on the team, at least offensively, because he felt he wasn't utilized properly in the post.

“I said that I need the ball in the paint to be effective. You can’t keep having me pick and pop and shooting jump shots. Give me the ball in the paint,” Blatche said after going 5 for 13 from the field. “That’s what I’m most effective at. I’ve been saying that since training camp — I need the ball in the paint. I don’t want to be the pick and pop guy that I used to be. Because it’s not working for me. I’m not saying the offense has to flow through me, but I prefer to be in the paint.”

Maybe Saunders had you shooting jumpers because you complained about playing in the post in the past. Also being torched by Kris Kardashian, i mean, Humphries (21 points, 16 rebounds) didn't help your cause. Maybe if Blatche excelled at a defined role instead of complaining about it, he would be a better player.

Nick Young kind of defended Blatche on his issues of his role in the offense.

Young said, “’Dray’s trying to be a leader this year, and sometimes he lets things get to him. You’ve got to let things bounce quick and get back in the game. I say he’s going to learn from this game.”

In other words, get over it and grow up.

Singleton hasn't been in the league that long but already sees why the Wizards aren't thought of as the most functional bunch in the NBA.

“After that, I feel like we shut down,” Singleton said. “I feel like all the energy was gone and we didn’t want it anymore. It’s something we’ve got to change around here.” Referring to the blown lead.

The Washington Wizards, team harmony.





 
  

Larry Fitzgerald Sr. Doesn't Like Early Doucet

In one of the clumsiest looking plays this NFL season, Arizona Cardinals receiver Early Doucet let a possible game tying touchdown go by the wayside.

  

Wide open Early Doucet stumbles on potential game-tying score


On the game's most critical play, Arizona's Early Doucet makes a blunder he may never forget.

Early Doucet showed on Saturday that there's something more embarrassing than dropping an easy, game-changing touchdown pass while wide open: not even getting a chance to drop an easy, game-changing touchdown pass while wide open.

The Arizona Cardinals wide receiver didn't have a defender within 10 yards of him on a fourth-down pass from John Skelton. All he had to do was go get the lofted throw and the Cardinals would have been an extra point away from tying the Cincinnati Bengals. Doucet didn't get that far though, as he stumbled near the goal line and fell to the ground as the pass bounced incomplete.

At 7-7, Arizona's playoff chances were somewhere between slim and none, so Doucet's tumble wasn't exactly a season-ender. Had he stayed upright, it could have been for Cincinnati though. Now, the Bengals are 8-7 and stand a good chance of winning the AFC's final wild card next weekend.

Larry Fitzgerald Sr. simply thinks Doucet doesn't work hard enough to be an NFL receiver.

“Early Doucet bombed this year he drops to many passes not a dependable No.2. Needs to work harder at his job. He dropped 5 TDs this year,” Larry Fitzgerald Sr. wrote on Twitter.

Senior went on to talk to Mike Sando of ESPN.com, saying that Junior invited Doucet to work out during the lockout and Doucet declined. 

“I just know that Larry invited him to come and work out with him this summer and some guys take initiative and do it, some guys don’t,” Fitzgerald Sr. said. “But with the lockout, I thought he would have worked on it a little harder. That is me. People criticize me because they think I talk too much. That is just how I see it.”


“I wasn’t picking on him,” Fitzgerald Sr. said. “I track when he drops the ball in critical situations. They use Larry the way they are going to use him, so they know others are going to be singled [in coverage]. The Ravens game, he dropped one on the goal line. I remember other games. Now that they’re out of the playoffs, I’m putting it out there.”

Talk about a biased opinion. If you're not picking on Doucet then what are you doing? He might as well have called out the rest of the Cardinals receiving corps while he was throwing Doucet under the bus.

Can you imagine the conversation between Fitzgerald Jr. and Doucet. Awkward.

Jake Heaps To Join Weis And Crist At Kansas

It looks like the Kansas football team is beginning to look like a personal redemption team. Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis signed on to get the Jayhawks back on track. His former prized recruit Dayne Crist transferred to Kansas to restore hi once lofty status as a future college star.

Jake Heaps was a big time collegiate prospect coming out of high school. He signed with BYU and was thought of the future of the program. Heaps was the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the 2010 class. However he lost the starting quarterback job to Riley Nelson this season and decided to transfer out of town.

Heaps will now join Weis and Crist at Kansas.Heaps will have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules. Starting in 2013, he will have two years of eligibility.

So Weis will have two highly touted quarterback recruits to lead the way in Lawrence for a massive rebuilding project and two players that will have a chance to redeem themsleves and live up to their lofty prep status.  

Barry Sanders Is Not A Fan Of The Lions' Mock Draft

Recently ESPN's Todd McShay put together a mock draft of the 2012 NFL Draft. It had the Detroit Lions picking in the 25th slot.

Keep in mind in the Lions have drafted pretty well of late, but also have taken two running backs in Jahvid Best (2010) and Mikel Leshoure (2011). Conventional wisdom says the Lions would take an offensive lineman, defensive back, or linebacker. Not according to McShay. In his first mock draft scenario he had the Lions picking Virginia Tech running back David Wilson. And Lions great Barry Sanders didn't seem too happy about it.

This came from the Detroit Free Press.

None other than Barry Sanders saw our tweet about the Lions mock draft Thursday -- in which ESPN's Todd McShay has them taking Virginia Tech running back David Wilson -- and tweeted back “Will they ever take an O - Lineman???”


Sense any residual bitterness there?


He then added, “I am sort of biased... but would help (Matthew Stafford) and (Calvin Johnson) too. To be fair, (the Lions’) recent drafts have been solid.”

I don't know what it is but the Lions always seem to be reluctant to take an offensive lineman in the first round or draft based on their needs. We'll see what happens in April. Hopefully it's not a running back. It'll look like the ghost of Matt Millen is looming over Lions headquarters. Remember the run of wide receivers. 

Could Jurrjens Come Back To Detroit?

When the Detroit Tigers traded pitcher Jair Jurrjens and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez to the Atlanta Braves for shortstop Edgar Renteria it soon became one of the more regrettable Tigers trades in recent memory.


Although Hernandez really never panned out, Jurrjens certainly went on to become a nice addition for the Braves while Renteria continued to age and prove why he wasn’t a player for the American League.

But could the Tigers undo the wrong so to speak and bring Jurrjens back?

According to Jon Heyman, Jair Jurrjens has drawn some interest from the Orioles, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rockies, Rangers and Tigers.

As expected there is going to be plenty of interest if Jurrjens is put on the block however there are some injury concerns with Jurrjens. He missed the end of last season with a knee injury which in some ways has placed him behind Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez in the pecking order for teams pursuing starting pitching. Jurrjens though has shown he is a pitcher that can compete in the majors.

With Gonzalez headed to the Washington Nationals it could be a possibility. A slight one, but still a possibility.

It is believed that Atlanta may shop the young right hander Jurrjens given the large supply of pitching talent the Braves currently have and the current need of offensive help.

Would this be another situation in which the Tigers and Braves start talking trade and could outfielder Delmon Young be in the mix yet again?

Dez Bryant's Unique Choice Of Clothing

Before a Wednesday media session, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant, was seen wearing a pretty odd piece of clothing. He wore a Nike T-shirt that read "Lazy But Talented".    

An odd choice of clothing, considering that the mildly talented receiver has bee criticized about his work ethic since entering the NFL. If Bryant wants to be taken seriously and regarded as one of the elite receivers in the game, he needs to get rid of that kind of attitude.

Denard Robinson Seeks NFL Advice

Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has asked the NFL Draft advisory board for information on where he would get drafted if he entered the 2012 NFL Draft.

From ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg:

I also asked "Shoelace" whether or not he had submitted paperwork to the NFL draft advisory board.


"I did," Robinson said, "but we'll see what happens."


Asked if he's planning to return to Michigan in 2012, Robinson said, "most likely, yes."

Breathe easy Michigan fans that doesn't mean he plans on leaving. He just submitted paperwork to get a feel on where he would land if he decided to leave school. Robinson is one of the most dynamic playmakers in college football today, but right now his skills do not translate to playing quarterback in the NFL.

Cool down Tebow-breath. Just because Tim Tebow's skills alledgedly did not translate to the league and has done ok doesn't mean Robinson's will. For all his playmaking skills, Robinson has a long way to go before he's thought of as a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect.

Robinson does have a year under his belt in offensive coordinator Al Borges' pro style system so that should help him as he progresses to the 2012-13 season.

"A year under my belt is going to help me a lot," Robinson said. "I think I can do some special things next year."     

Another year will help him, but whether that makes scouts see him more than a slot receiver or return man remains to be seen.

Monta Ellis Being Sued For Sexual Harrssment

In a report courtesy of the Contra Costa Times, Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis and the organization are being sued for sexual harassment by a former employee. There isn't too much to go on right now and there should be much more known about the case after Wednesday's press conference.

According to an email from the Law Offices of Burton F. Boltuch, the plaintiff will file the suit Wednesday morning in Oakland at the Superior Court of Alameda County. Afterward, a press conference will be held to discuss the allegations.



According to Boltuch, the plaintiff is accusing Ellis of sexually harassing her from November 2010 to January 2011. The accuser, according to Boltuch, has photo evidence of the harrassment, which he claims was sent from Ellis’ cell phone to the plaintiff.


The photo will be revealed – along with the identity of the accuser – at the press conference, Boltuch said.


“You will be shocked when you see it,” Boltuch said. “It’s pretty disgusting and graphic.”


Boltuch also said that his client was "terminated" because the Warriors were trying to cover up for Ellis.

After tomorrow we'll know a lot more about this case. 

Hue Jackson Figured McClain Could Cover Megatron

Everyone is an armchair quarterback. I'm one of them. You know, questioning every decision that a coach or player makes. Some of the criticism is warranted, some isn't. But a few things Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson did Sunday against the Detroit Lions made me scratch my head.

First was the third and two deep ball Carson Palmer threw to Chaz Schilens that fell incomplete.

I'm a Lions fan so I'm glad that the pass fell incomplete and saved the Lions some time. The Lions don't have the greatest run defense so I was puzzled as to why the Raiders went deep. I can understand trying to bury someone, but to conventionally ice the game has never hurt anyone in the past.

Here's the one Jackson gets defensive about. The deep pass to Calvin Johnson where Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain was hung out to dry in the defense that was called.

Go make that play,” Jackson said via the CSNCalifornia.com. “It isn’t a scheme issue. The ball’s laying up in the air, you’ve got to go make that play when you’ve got an opportunity. Their guy made it and we didn’t, so they won the game.”



“Yeah, that’s called the Tampa-2. That’s what the middle linebacker does — he runs right down the middle of the field. They made the play and we didn’t.”


First, I've seen the Tampa 2 up close and personal when Rod Marinelli coached the Lions and not once did I see a middle linebacker going deep 40 yards to cover an elite receiver. I never saw the non descript MLB the Lions had at the time trying to cover Randy Moss going deep down the middle. So I don't see why Jackson is so defensive about the lousy defensive call that pretty much cost them the game.

Jackson must've listened to Rob Ryan on how to defend Johnson since he torched the Raiders for 9 catches, 214 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson would've been better off watching film of all the bracket coverage teams have been throwing at the Lions the past five weeks.

Jackson needs to go back to school and when he does he needs to major in "Watching game film 101". Covering Megatron with a linebacker? Suicide!








      

McGrady Set To Fly With The Hawks

Let the NBA free agent frenzy begin. Well kind of.

 According to a report on ESPN, Tracy McGrady has signed a one year deal with the Atlanta Hawks. McGrady played last season with the Detroit Pistons and had a pretty good season for someone considered nearly done. He averaged 8.0 points per game in 23.4 minutes. Not bad for someone that was thrown on the NBA scrap heap.

McGrady can't officially sign with the team until Friday when free agency actually begins. But teams have been allowed to speak to agents for more than a week and could negotiate directly with players as of Monday.


More than likely he'll be backing up Joe Johnson and will be the primary scoring option off the bench since Jamal Crawford will more than likely wearing another uniform this season.

If McGrady still has something left in the tank without getting hurt, it could be a bargain for the Hawks.

  

Did Suh Lie About The Accident?

Detroit Lions defensive tackle was involved in a one car accident over the weekend. According to Suh, he crashed his car when he lost control of the 1970 Chevrolet Coupe and crashed into a tree trying to pass a taxicab, according to the original police report. He also said that no one was injured. No citations were issued.

A report has surfaced with two passengers that were in the car saying  Suh lied about the details of the accident.

“When the light turned green, he floored it,” one of the passengers told KGW. “I just remember going so fast and it was violent and just getting thrown around like rag dolls.”

That woman says she suffered a black eye and a busted lip which required stitches. Suh told police no one needed to go to the hospital, but the woman said she asked Suh to call for an ambulance and he refused, telling her she was fine.

Another witness says that Suh was trying to "show off".

It seems that someone doesn't have their story straight and somewhere in between lies the truth.

Morris Ejects His Own Player from The Game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris did something a lot of coaches won't do in this day and age. He kicked his own player out of a game. Morris sent defensive tackle Brian Price home after Price was called for a personal foul penalty in the third quarter.

“Because it's foolish, it's selfish to your teammates, to everybody in your organization, to your fans,’’ Morris said. “That's terrible. That's just selfish behavior to get a 15-yard penalty, in that situation, when that's all we talk about, when that's all we discuss. You just can't do that to your team.



"When you give up a penalty, after a third-and-15, those are things that are not smart, not fair to anybody on the football team. Not fair to anybody that's coaching that football team. Those things are unacceptable.''

Kudos to Morris for sending his own player to the showers. Many observers say this move might've been too late since there is speculation that Morris is on the hot seat.

That's the message the Lions' Jim Schwartz should've sent Ndamukong Suh before he went all riverdance on someone.

Dayne Crist Leaving Notre Dame

Dayne Crist lost two seasons to injury at Notre Dame. He also lost playing time to back-ups Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix. Now he's going somewhere to regain the luster he once had when he arrived as a highly regarded quarterback recruit.

Crist asked for and was granted a release from Notre Dame.

The school confirmed the big-armed, 6-foot-4, 235-pound Crist met with Irish coach Brian Kelly on Friday to pursue the release. Crist will graduate this month with one year of eligibility remaining, rendering him eligible to play instantly anywhere he goes.

"Dayne and I had a good conversation Friday and I have granted him permission to speak to other schools," Kelly said. "Dayne has been a valuable member of our team the last two years and if he feels he needs to look for a better situation then I think we owe that to him."

All that means is that Crist will be following the Russell Wilson plan. Ironically Wisconsin ia one of the schools listed along with San Diego State and Utah. The Badgers will be looking for a replacement for Wilson after he used the NCAA rule that allowed him to play immediately after transferring from North Carolina State.

Maybe Crist can regain some of the five star status he had before he arrived at Notre Dame.   

Slap Happy

A woman who works at Cowboys stadium has accused former San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys great, Charles Haley of slapping her on her buttocks during the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day game against the Miami Dolphins.

A police report said the woman found the contact inappropriate and was offended, and that a third party corroborated her accusation. Police spokeswoman Tiara Richard said Friday that Haley denies the claim, and he faces a choice of either paying a fine or contesting the matter in court.

Best thing for Haley to do is to apologize and pay the fine and ride off into the sunset and wait for the call to the Hall.

Smith And Turner To Get The Ax

According to a report in the San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Chargers Team President Dean Spanos has decided to fire General Manager AJ Smith and Head Coach Norv Turner at the end of this season. Turner and Smith have been tied together for the numerous regular season flops and playoff failures. Spanos feels he "has no choice" but to go in another direction. Turner is definitely gone after the season, but Spanos is reported to be wrestling with the decision to fire Smith, so it's possible that he might be spared.

“The decisions are not made,” said one team source, “but everything is lined up.”




 

Fred Taylor Gives Jack Del Rio A Bus Job

Talk about kicking a person when they're down. Jack Del Rio was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars and it didn't take long for people to start piling on. Former Jaguar running back Fred Taylor threw Del Rio under the bus and put it in reverse for good measure.

In an interview with Eric Adelson, Taylor explained the differences between playing for Super Bowl winning coaches Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick and playing for Del Rio. In the end, Taylor says Del Rio simply wasn't a good coach.

"With Coughlin, if you came in, if you overstep, you're screwed," says Taylor, who played for Coughlin in Jacksonville from his rookie year in 1998 until the coach was let go in 2002. "With Jack, you never knew what you were getting. You don’t know if you’ll get a hard-ass one day, a buddy-buddy one day. You never really knew."


Everyone knows about Coughlin's hardcore ways and he was dead on with that assessment. I don't know much about Del Rio but Taylor was there and played for both so he should be an authority abot the differences between the two.

Asked if he felt Del Rio played favorites, Taylor doesn't hesitate.



"[Expletive] yeah. Hell yeah," he says. "Why do you think I'm not there? There wasn't any falloff in my production. I expressed my willingness to take a paycut. I just wanted to be there and be a part of the community. I wanted to finish my career there. Just because we had this new running back. All we had to do was switch roles. 'Fred, Maurice [Jones-Drew] is going to be the starter.' Fine, no problem. I wasn't a virus in the locker room. I worked my ass off -- everything."

Sounds exactly like the way he handled his quarterback situations. From the releases of Byron Leftwich and David Garrard and the current handling of rookie Blaine Gabbert. Ironically, Taylor has some words about that also.

"Pulling that trigger was a bit premature," Taylor says. "If you make that decision, make it a month out. Quite honestly, that kind of thing can ruin careers." When talking about Garrard's release. I also think if he was going to cut Garrard, do it at the start of training camp, not right before the season.

The handling of Gabbert was also a topic. Gabbert was pulled from a game in favor of Luke McCown.

"You're 3-8," says Taylor. "Take him out and that is going to establish the season?"

All in all Taylor wasn't pleased with Del Rio's shortcomings on the offensive side of the ball. Trust me, most of the time the offense was offensive.

"At the end of the day, [Del Rio]'s not a head coach," Taylor says. "He's a great defensive coach. But he's not a head coach."

Well Del Rio's not a head coach, because he's unemployed. Personally he overacheived some of the time, but when the Jags had expectations they came up short. Way to kick a man when he's out the door Fred.




   




   

Rodriguez Might Get A Shot At Wolverines

Promises, promises. Alledgedly that's what newly hired Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez got from Arizona. The promise was that they would give him a shot to beat his former school, Michigan, by scheduling them in three years. I guess that's how much time Rodriguez will need to get the Wildcats on track.

This comes from Louisiana high school football coach J.T. Curtis.

”My understanding is, in talking to coach Rich Rodriguez, and I was involved in that just a little bit, is that it was a much closer decision than people realize between Tulane and Arizona,” Curtis said. “I know that might not sound right to you but I think Tulane did all they could do to give him an opportunity to come there and a chance to coach, and I think his expression to me was that he felt like he had a better chance to win the national championship at Arizona if he recruited properly. And they promised him they’d put Michigan on the schedule in three years,” Curtis said. “I’m telling you, it was a big deal.”


I don't know if Rodriguez wants that game by then. Brady Hoke has he Wolverines trending upwards so Rodriguez better get some players in a hurry if he wants a shot at Michigan.







  

UCLA Gets A Bowl Waiver

At 6-6 and going into a conference championship game UCLA has a chance to have a losing record and not make a bowl. At least that's how it usually works out. Except the Bruins applied for a bowl waiver so that they will be able to go bowling with a more than likely 6-7 record. And for some strange reason they were granted the waiver.

Here's the reasoning. Since they fighting Neuheisels are the Pac-12 South champ by default since USC is on probation, the Pac-12 is struggling to fill their allotment of bowl slots. So enter UCLA with their meager 6-6 (or 7) record to help out the situation. The Bruins, the Pac-12 South paper champs, are 31 (and counting) point underdogs to Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game. So they'll probably end up being 6-7 going into their bowl game. Athletic Director Dan Guerrero sounds pleased at the recent turn of events.

“As a program, we appreciate the NCAA approving our petition for a bowl waiver,” said UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero in a release. “We will be able to give our 18 seniors one more chance to represent their university and end their collegiate careers on a high note, regardless of the outcome of this Friday’s Pac-12 Championship Game. We’d like to thank the NCAA for considering the unique situation in which we find ourselves this year and rewarding us with this opportunity.”


And another chance to catch a beatdown. They'll be joining some elite company as North Texas went to the 2001 New Orleans Bowl with a 5-6 record. At least the Mean Green won their conference and aren't a fake champion like UCLA.

Dan Guerrero’s and UCLA’s selfish motivation to bring money into the shcool is a short sighted effort. The embarrassment that playing in the Pac-12 Championship Game, know full well, that they are not qualified to play in that game… then the audacity to petition for a Bowl Game, just to bring in some bucks at the expense of the players, is a joke.

The football team has taken enough grief this season under Neuheisel, but having a 6-6 season, the huge loss to USC (the real Pac-12 South champs), the blow out losses against the other teams, and then to be completely embarrassed on national TV when they play Oregon, as 31.5 pt underdogs, which my money is on Oregon by 50 pts.

Now you want the UCLA players in another potential loss and more embarrassment in a bowl game. Again… Dan Guerrero and the UCLA administration doesn’t show me any style, class nor grace. I guess, if the shoe fits, wear it.


UCLA alumni are furious with this move, Guerrero and Neuheisel. Perhaps Guerrero needs to be fired too.















    

Sumlin Might Want To Stay In Houston

University of Houston head football coach, Kevin Sumlin is a hot commodity right now. He has the Cougars at 12-0 and positioned to get to a BCs bowl game. The offense he runs has put up some video game numbers and have scored a ton of points this season. It's a testament to him and the team that they've been able to focus amid speculation that Sumlin is in line for a higher profile job.

With numerous coaches being shown the ax recently his name is being mentioned for jobs at Arizona State, Illinois, Mississippi, and UCLA. If I'm Sumlin I'd stay put at Houston. For how long it depends. Only of Bob Stoops ever decided to leave Oklahoma would be the only way I'd leave Houston.

Not to say that any of those jobs are bad jobs, but Sumlin would be set up for failure. Maybe Arizona State would be the job I would consider. But with USC still reeling in top tier recruits I would probably steer clear of the Sun Devils job.

As of now Sumlin is having none of the speculation talk and says he's working on an extension with Athletic Director Mack Rhoades.

“I’ve talked to Mack a couple of times, we’ve had a couple different discussions about a lot of things,” Sumlin said. “I’ve got a really strong relationship with him, an open relationship. Our administration understands that we’re trying to win a championship, and things that detract from that, I’m not really interested in doing.”

“Nobody has talked to me all year,” Sumlin said. “No one has contacted me from anywhere in the country about a coaching job anywhere. Even if they tried, at this point, I wouldn’t even talk to them. We’re in the middle of the season.”

With new facilities being put in place and Houston moving to the Big East things might be looking up for the Cougars as far as being relevant nationally again. Of course that all depends on the Big East keepin their AQ status in the BCS. It looks like Sumlin might be in Houston for the long haul.











    

Clippers To Pursue Dwight Howard?

The NBA lockout still has to undergo some minor details (vote and ratify) before it's officially over. The news has started to pick up regarding who'll get released, traded, or signing elsewhere.

Orlando Magic big man Dwight Howard has been dodging questions about his future whereabouts, but that won't stop the rumor mill from ramping up. Reports say that the Los Angeles Clippers will possibly make a push for Howard. Interesting since Donald Sterling does own the Clippers. But I guess the possibility of playing with Blake Griffin might trump Sterling's incompetence. Think about the tandem of Howard and Griffin playing side by side. That might actually get some players to think about playing in Clipperland.

Of course the Clippers will have some heavy competition for Howard and Howard most of this, especially since the tentative labor agreement permits extend-and-trade deals and also allows sign-and-trade deals for all taxpaying teams during the first two seasons of the CBA.

I don't think it'll happen, but the Clippers might have the most attractive young trade chips to pull it off. 


     

UCLA's Travis Wear Injured While Snorkeling

UCLA's basketball season is just five games old and they're already enduring a trying season. They've lost to Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State, had a bad showing in Maui, and are 1-4 with their lone win coming against Chaminade.

Before the season started the coach Ben Howland has had to deal with the Jerime Anderson arrest, Reeves Nelson's insubordination, and now Travis Wear's injury.

In a season already gone awry for UCLA, the pain became literal on Thursday when sophomore forward Travis Wear cut his right foot while snorkeling in Maui and required five stitches.

Wear, the Bruins' second-leading scorer who is averaging 10.4 points per game, will not practice Saturday and will be reevaluated Monday, when UCLA (1-4) plays host to Pepperdine (2-2) at the Sports Arena.

This season could go from bad to worse if the Bruins can't pull it together and go on a hot streak and win some games.

UNLV Stuns North Carolina

Even though preseason rankings in college sports, more so in basketball than football, intrigue me they don't mean anything. I said that a few years ago, and I'm gonna say it again. They don't mean a thing.

There have been a rash of early season upsets so far. Cleveland State over Vanderbilt, Loyola Marymount and Middle Tennessee State over UCLA, and Pittsburgh being taken down by Long Beach State. Now the number one team, the stacked and talented North Carolina Tar Heels were stunned by UNLV, 90-80.

These may all turn out to be fluky early season wins, but the Tar Heels are expected to contend for the national title this year. It's only one game so I won't make too much out of it since everyone has a bad night. I'm not making excuses for the Heels, but it was practically a road game for them. It was played at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Eventually the road catches up with you.

I won't pencil the Tar Heels in for a championship, but I won't be surprised if they win it all. But for now let things play out early in the season before handing out rankings like Halloween candy.

Rodriguez Gets Frustrated Watching Michigan

Former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez found a landing spot in Tucson, coaching the Arizona Wildcats. That doesn't mean that he still doesn't have feelings about Michigan. Why, I don't know, but Rodriguez admitted that it's frustrating watching Michigan win at his press conference.

“It’s frustrating to watch them, I don’t mind telling you,” Rodriguez said, “because those are all my guys. But I’m proud of them because they’re doing so well.”


Rodriguez believed that the Wolverines would turn the corner this year so it comes as no surprise to him that they are 9-2 heading into the Ohio State game this week. I still think they had ways to go. Truth is Rodriguez never had a chance at Michigan. He had the knives in his back as soon as he hit Ann Arbor. Wins would've cured the ills but he didn't win enough. Another thing that killed Rodriguez was defense. If he really gave a damn about defense he might still be at Michigan.

He might have a chance at Arizona where the offenses in the Pac-12 put up video game numbers weekly. Everyone knows that offense is Rodriguez's specialty. If he can get the Wildcats to play some defense they could be formidable in the Pac-12. It might be a mirage, but Rodriguez might be able to succeed in the desert.

Jay-Z Has To Reject NBA Players From The VIP

Because of the NBA lockout owners or coaches can't communicate with the players. It makes for a pretty dicey situation. No communication, fraternizing, etc. If you do, you risk a fine that could run $500,000.

New Jersey Nets part owner Jay-Z knew this so at a recent GQ party in Los Angeles, Jay had to turn away a posse of NBA players wanting to chat with him in the VIP party room. Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala, Russell Westbrook, JaVale McGee and Shannon Brown, among others were turned down from the VIP by Mr. Carter (Jay-Z).

“So all the athletes were clamoring to talk to Jay-Z in his private section, even Melo, but because of the lockout, Jay had to turn them all down. He refused to let any of them thru, and also warned his security to watch out because of his NBA ownership, he wasn’t allowed to fraternize with them,” said our source.

Smart move Jay, now just don't go out giving ridiculous contracts to overrated players.


 

Lions Trying To Right The Ship, Have An R-Rated Chant To Haters

After losing three of their last four, the Detroit Lions are trying to get their season back.

Wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson set the tone for a recent practice by gathering the players at midfield and chanted "F--- Them".

Go ahead and fill in the blanks on that one. That wasn't directed to anyone in particular, but they're trying to get the swagger back after being beatdown by the Chicago Bears last week. I suspect it probably had more to do with various media memebers calling them a dirty team and some saying that they'll flop and miss the playoffs after a 5-0 start.

Hopefully it'll translate to something positive for the team.

Syracuse Assistant Investigated For Molesting Ball Boy

On the heels of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal comes another bombshell. Longtime Syracuse basketball assistant Bernie Fine is at the center of a police investigation for molesting a ball boy for more than a dozen years in the 1980s.

Police stressed to Outside The Lines they are in the early stages of the investigation.



The alleged victim, Bobby Davis, now 39, told Outside the Lines that Fine molested him beginning in 1983 shortly before Davis entered the seventh grade. Davis, the team's ball boy for six years beginning in 1984, said the abuse occurred at Fine's home, at the Syracuse basketball facilities, and on road trips, including the 1987 Final Four.


In addition, a second man -- a relative of Davis -- told OTL that he was also molested by Fine around the same time as the first boy.

Davis reported the crimes to the police in 2003 but was told that the statute of limitations had run out. davis also said that it was possible that other boys were molested.

Davis said that Fine molested him at Fine's home, at the basketball facilities at Syracuse, on recruiting road trips and even at the 1987 Final Four. Davis said he was Fine's constant companion at all those places. He said that Boeheim would come into Fine's room, and see Davis lying on the Fine's bed, but never asked him any questions.



Davis said he was molested by Fine until he was around 27 years old. Through the years, he said he has felt bitter emotions over the molestation as sex scandals have emerged in the Catholic Church and lately with former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.


Davis said he reported the abuse to Syracuse police in 2003, but that a detective told him that the statute of limitations had run out. Davis said the detective told him that if he knew of boys being molested by Fine at the time, that Syracuse police would investigate those allegations. Davis said he told the detective that he thought other boys were being molested but that he had only direct knowledge of Fine molesting him.


At the time, the Syracuse police chief was Dennis Duval, a former Syracuse basketball player for Boeheim. Duval, who retired in 2004, could not be reached for comment. He played at Syracuse from 1971 to 1974, and started with the Syracuse Police Department in 1978.


Outside the Lines investigated Davis's story in 2003 but decided not to run the story because there were no other victims who would talk, and no independent evidence to corroborate the boy's story. In recent days, a second man contacted Outside the Lines with information alleging that Fine had also molested him. That man said he was inspired to finally talk after seeing news coverage of the Sandusky case.

This is just sick. This is slightly different from the Penn State case only because there is no evidence of a cover up.

Victims of these type of crimes need to speak up. It's a shame that these men use their power and influence to prey on impressionable young children. I don't care how long it's been, if this is indeed true, Fine needs to be locked up immediately. You would've thought that Boeheim might've asked questions if he saw some kid laying on his bed.

Boeheim might not be as culpable as Joe Paterno, but he needs to ask questions if something looks amiss.

  

Davie Looks To Revive His Coaching Career

It took awhile for former Notre Dame football coach Bob Davie to get another job, but he finally found one. No I'm not talking about Davie leaving ESPN for another TV gig, but he'll be taking over the New Mexico football program.

First of all I thought that Mike Leach would take over this reclamation project. With the high powered offenses he's constructed in the past he would've sold some tickets. Davie is a name, but not one who comes with a lot of sizzle that will move people to buy tickets.

Secondly, why would Davie want this job? I know that he probably had an itch to get back into coaching, but taking the New Mexico job might ruin him for life. No one has won there and the Lobos have back to back 1-11 seasons which got Mike Locksley canned among other things.

I guess it could be a no lose situation for Davie. If he wins five games a year he might be revered in Albuquerque. Hell, they might even put a statue up of him if he gets them to a couple of bowl games. Nonetheless, Davie has a major job in making New Mexico football matter.

TCU Makes A Celebratory T-Shirt

After ending any slight hope that Boise State had at a national title shot, TCU has a t-shirt celebrating their win. I'm sure the players or coach didn't have anything to do with it, but it's out there.

This was more of a slap in the face to Boise State and the Mountain West conference after they felt slighted since the MWC decided to move the game to Boise State after TCU announced they were moving to the Big East. The Horned Frogs won the game and will be going to the Big 12 and not the Big East. Also Boise State will be moving to the Big East.

It looks like the Horned Frogs got the last laugh on Boise and the MWC in the end.

Barry Switzer's Insight On The Penn State Scandal

Once he saw the footage of the Penn State coach standing on his lawn, talking to reporters and admitting to the world that he should've done more, the former Oklahoma coach realized his fate was sealed. He would be forced out. He would be fired.

“I knew that it would come to this,” Switzer said.

“They did the right thing at the university,” he said. “The university had to do this, and it was the right thing to do.”

He paused and sighed.

“It's a tragic, sad story. There are no winners here.”

He paused again.

“There are no winners at all.”

“Having been in this profession a long time and knowing how close coaching staffs are, I knew that this was a secret that was kept secret,” Switzer said. “Everyone on that staff had to have known, the ones that had been around a long time.”

“You think that a 13-year assistant … hasn't told someone else?” Switzer said. “His wife? His father? People knew. The community knew.”

“There are more people culpable than just Joe Paterno and the athletic director,” Switzer said via telephone while traveling in Texas. “There are so many other people that have thought, ‘I could've done something about this, too' that didn't come forward. That's the tragedy of it.”

That is the tragedy. The adults who had the power to protect kids from a monster. The adults who passed the buck and expected someone else to take care of the problem. The adults who could've saved at least eight little boys from carrying the scars of sexual abuse for the rest of their lives.

“There's no university immune to this,” Switzer said. “No one is immune to what happened at Penn State or what happened at Oklahoma. It happened years ago, and it'll happen years in the future.

“People make poor decisions, poor choices, and this is what can occur.”

“I'll tell you how it happens — it's the American sports phenomenon,” Switzer said. “I've seen it happen all my life; we've made coaches and players and athletes more than what we are. It's what happens in American sports. Because of that, they've gotten away with more than they should have.

“These students the other night, I watched ‘em occupy State College, and I thought, ‘They don't understand.' If they stopped and thought about … how many people were involved and knew this and did nothing, they just haven't lived long enough.

“And what they've done is try to support somebody the university can't support.”

Words from former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer. And you know what, he's dead on.

Switzer presided over the Oklahoma crime spree that ended up with quarterback Charles Thompson on the cover of Sports Illustrated being led away in handcuffs in an orange prison jumpsuit for conspiracy to traffic cocaine. The wild west days of Norman. Switzer knew it was best for him to walk away from the school he loved so much.

Just like how Penn State had to rid themselves of Joe Paterno after the child sexual abuse scandal involving long time assistant Jerry Sandusky. And it's not over by a longshot. There is another layer or two to this story that has yet to come out.

There was no way that Paterno could survive this assault of mounting evidence of a possible cover up for Sandusky. The best thing for Penn State to do was to fire Paterno. Paterno said he would resign at the end of the season, but I think that was nothing more than to keep the wolves at bay. If Paterno wouldnt've felt any heat from this scandal, he'd be defiant about retiring and would be talking about coming back next year. I'm not here to blast Paterno, but this was for the greater good of the university and bigger than football.

I kind of feel sorry for Paterno. After all the years of loyalty to Penn State he goes out under a dark cloud. And it wasn't like the players being paid or an academic scandal that forced him out.

I know Paterno thought he was doing the right thing by following a chain of command and going through typical university protocol. But once he realized something was amiss he should've checked in with the athletic director again and then went to the authorities. It's not like they wouldnt've doubted him. He's Joe Paterno, the lord of State College, Pennsylvania.

He once said that he wouldn't retire to leave the game to the Barry Switzers and Jackie Sherrills of the world. At least they went out cheating the game or on their own terms, rather than trying to cover up a crime against children.