Opinion: North Alabama’s decision should raise awareness to increasing social (media) concerns

Former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III was on the receiving end of some ignorant remarks last week.

The issue of race is one I am largely uncomfortable discussing for the most part, but several recent incidents have undoubtedly raised awareness of just where our country stands when it comes to such issues. While I would like to think our country has made tremendous strides in civil rights and equality I recognize that there is still a good amount of work still to be made.

As a white male I have always felt uncomfortable saying just where this nation stands on a variety of race issues. Who am I to suggest this nation is free or largely free from prejudice and racism when I am not in the demographic that should be able to speak about it or evaluate.

When ESPN television personality Rob Parker shared his thoughts on Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, a player long time visitors to No 2-Minute Warning know I have long been a fan of, I could not help but cringe. Despicable would b the word I would politely use to describe Parker’s comments and I felt a suspension from ESPN‘s airwaves was the least the network could do.

On Friday a troubled gunman entered an elementary school and executed innocent children and some brave adults who looked to save them before taking his own life as police arrived on the scene. It is being called one of those most horrific school shootings, and general shootings, in this nation’s history. Ranking shootings seems trivial to me because all are heartbreaking. When we no longer have the security to confidently say even the smallest of neighborhoods and the most innocent of places such as an elementary school are safe from harm,

On Sunday night a multi-faith memorial service was held in the town of Newtown, Connecticut to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on Friday. The vigil was attended by President Barack Obama, who said he was there to bring the somber town the support of the nation. The President’s attendance and speech caused the networks to abandon their regularly schedule programming to air the president’s comments as they were made. This meant NBC had to do what rarely happens; cut away from NFL football.

I would venture to say most fans watching the game were understanding of the logic used by NBC. This shooting brings everything else to standstill as we reflect on what is actually important in our society. Football, as with all sports, serves as nothing more than a diversion from the harsh reality in our world. NBC treated it as such, moving the game to other NBC outlets until the president had concluded his somber remarks.

This, of course, will not stop stupid people from spouting off, as documented and archived by Deadspin. In this age of social media with Facebook and Twitter, everybody has an instant voice, yet few will pause to think about potential repercussions of having their voice shared publicly. Just ask former North Alabama long snapper Bradley Patterson, who tweeted a derogatory word in reference to the president, one that makes me always feel uncomfortable. … Continue Reading

Are we ready to wish for the days of the BCS already?

College football postseason changes adopted, but is it best option?

The BCS is done. Do you miss it yet? Will you miss it later? Photo: Getty Images

Have you ever wanted a toy so badly you would have done just about anything for it? You would wait in line at the mall to let Santa Claus know what you wanted every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You would write a letter and send an email to the North Pole. You do extra chores around your home to make sure you stay on the Nice list. You are unusually extra nice to your little sister for agonizing weeks. You would be sure to pull out the advertisements in the Sunday paper and circle what you wanted for your parents, subtly reminding them that if you did not get to unwrap it on Christmas morning the next year may be full of tears.

Christmas morning comes and you grab the nicely gift-wrapped box you know is the object of your desire but your parents make you wait to open it for last. Then the moment comes, you unwrap in a flurry and are super excited to hold it above your head showing it off, and you make sure everyone you see that holiday knows you got exactly what you wanted.

By mid-February the fascination with this highly sought after prize has worn off and you wish you had asked for something else.

On Tuesday evening I unwrapped that present, and I am wondering if there is a return policy on it.

College football’s four-team playoff format has been approved, and I should be happy about that. After all, I have been mapping out playoff grids for years as a college football fan, going back as early as 1994 if I can recall. That was the season Penn State went undefeated but was tied in to a Rose Bowl trip while top-ranked Nebraska got to play for the national championship crown against Miami. This was the first time I thought to myself that college football’s bowl system was stupid, to put it nicely. That was when I first found myself asking why college football does not institute a playoff system. It took me a number of years to fully understand the reasoning, which I shoved aside simply by saying that if every other level of football, from high school, college and the NFL could use a playoff format, then 1-A football surely could as well.

You would think that I would be elated that college football’s powers have announced a four-team playoff model will begin to settle the postseason starting in the 2014 season. On the surface, the format seems to be well thought-out. Six bowl sites will be used to host the national semifinal games on a rotating basis, which places the emphasis back on the New Years Day bowl games and may even add to the tradition. A selection committee will determine which four teams will be placed in the playoff field, which brings a new set of pros and cons but until we know more about the makeup of the committee it would be unfair to accurately assess.

Instead, I find myself wishing that we could have stuck with the status quo. My problem is not with the playoff format. My problem lies with the people in charge of creating and maintaining that postseason format. If the purpose of a four-team playoff was to make things better overall, I ask now if that has been accomplished. It seems there are still some flaws in the new system that existed under the old format. In some cases, the problems have become more existent.

Continue reading full column on Examiner.com.

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Penn State will pay for Sandusky scandal, but not by NCAA

If you think the NCAA should punish Penn State, prepare to be disapointed

Jerry Sandusky’s punishment is just the beginning. Who else will pay for their involvement in the scandal will soon be seen.

Jerry Sandusky was convicted on 45 of 48 charges related to child molestation Friday night in Bellfonte, Pennsylvania. While justice was ultimately served to one of the new signature child molesters in our country, more punishments will be handed out in time for those who either decided to allow Sandusky’s actions to continue, or just turned a blind eye to incidents playing out in front of their own eyes.

The judicial system will play out for Gary Schultz and Tim Curley, and given the developments of the case it could only be a matter of time before the legal process catches up with Graham Spanier. With so many close ties to officials at Penn State, and given the history between Sandusky and the university and football program, many have been quick to calling for NCAA legislation, some going so far as to call for the heaviest of NCAA sanctions, the death penalty.

The first line in the NCAA’s outline of principles of institutional control should put Penn State at some ease.

“In determining whether there has been a lack of institutional control when a violation of NCAA rules has been found it is necessary to ascertain what formal institutional policies and procedures were in place at the time the violation of NCAA rules occurred and whether those policies and procedures, if adequate, were being monitored and enforced.”

While what happened at Penn State as it relates to Jerry Sandusky was grotesque, disturbing, and shockingly happening on Penn State’s campus there was never a violation of NCAA rules. Without a single NCAA rule broken, the issue of institutional control should be put to rest. This will not be settling news to some who want to see more punishments handed out, but it is the reality of the situation.

As it relates to the NCAA, Penn State’s alleged chain of command did fail to handle the situation, but without NCAA rules being broken there is little ground for any case for NCAA sanctions to stand firm, despite the strong verbiage used that could easily point out the potential faults of former Penn State president and Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight Chairman Graham Spanier.

“Obviously, general institutional control is exercised by the chief executive officer of a member institution,” the NCAA outlines. “However, it is rare that the chief executive officer will make decisions specifically affecting the operations of the institution’s athletics program.”

Spanier, now out of a job, will have larger issues to worry about than what would have happened to his school if the NCAA had a case to handle here.

… Continue Reading

Big 12 & SEC alliance looks to take steel chair to competition

Big 12, SEC agree to new bowl match-up of champions

The Big 12 and SEC will send their best available competition to an annual bowl game.

On Friday the Big 12 and SEC joined forces, and in doing so made a statement that together they are capable of achieving some great fortunes.

The official announcement says the conferences have agreed to a five year deal to send their conference champions to a new bowl game, although there is a possibility that the Sugar Bowl or Cotton Bowl becomes the destination for the match-up of conference champions. In the event either conference champion is eligible for the likely four-team playoff format (details still being ironed out), the conferences will send the next best conference member.

“In making this announcement, the Big 12 and SEC have kept themselves ahead of the game when it comes to the reorganization of the college football playoff structure resulting from the expiration of the BCS’ current deal,” writes Alicia Jessop of Business of College Sports. “This should come as no surprise to college football fans, as SEC commissioner Mike Slive has been at the forefront of proposing captivating alternatives to the current BCS system.”

Ironically the deal is struck in the same calendar year that the SEC plucked two Big 12 schools to switch conference allegiances this fall. Smooth move Slive. Smooth move.

Matt Hayes and The Sporting News shared via Twitter that the goal of the new SEC-Big 12 bowl arrangement is to have a standalone game that allows for its own television contract (to the highest bidder I would suppose), and if that plays out the conferences hope it will, that means some serious cash for all members of the expanded SEC and replenished Big 12. In fact, it may actually make the Big Ten’s stance to stand behind the Rose Bowl more logical. As I suggested on Crystal Ball Run on Friday, this is the Big 12 and SEC’s southwestern style Rose Bowl.

My first reaction to this news was positive. I like knowing that there will be a bowl set up between conference champions from two of the best conference champions. Texas vs. Alabama? Oklahoma vs. LSU? West Virginia vs. Georgia? Yes please.

Texas vs. Texas A&M? Florida State vs. Florida? Let’s move on… … Continue Reading

Why Arkansas hiring John L. Smith is a smart decision

Jeff Long makes a bold move with interim coaching decision

John L. Smith has potential to be a solid hire for one year at Arkansas. Image source: Weber State Athletics.

Arkansas is taking a gamble by hiring John L. Smith as an interim head coach for the 2012 season, rather than elevating an assistant already on the staff to take over the job. Smith, who was previously the special teams coach under Bobby Petrino for the past few seasons until accepting a head-coaching position with his alma mater at Weber State, will look to keep the ship on course for a potential run in the SEC, and maybe even the BCS.

Here is the situation for Arkansas. Any time a program elevates the responsibilities to an assistant coach to take on the interim coaching spot you are setting your team up for a downfall. Shuffling responsibilities on the coaching staff means putting a coach or two in a position in which they are unable to do their job to the best of their abilities, and sometimes leads to more chefs in the kitchen than you really need.

They are certainly different situations, and perhaps unfair to compare and contrast, but let’s just look at last season. Ohio State canned Jim Tressel over the summer and named Luke Fickell as the interim head coach for the 2012 season. The season did not quite go as well as Ohio State had been used to in recent years. Suspensions certainly took a toll but would the Buckeyes have had a better year if Tressel were still in charge? It’s easy to think so, is it not?

In November Penn State fired Joe Paterno and turned the program over to defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, who for the first time had to take a crack at coaching some offense. Penn State fell short at home against Nebraska, pulled out a win in Columbus and then was throttled by Wisconsin and Houston to end the season that looked to be heading to a potential Big Ten championship before Paterno was fired (some other things happened to, in case you didn’t know).

Bringing in John L. Smith, a coach with head coaching experience at the FBS level in the Big Ten and is already very familiar with the Arkansas coaching staff gives the Razorbacks the best opportunity to avoid the problems that generally come with interim head coaches. With so much riding on this upcoming season, did Jeff Long really have a better, realistic, option?

And how about that Arkansas 2012 schedule?

They have a team that is built for a SEC title run, and with that could come a shot at a BCS title for the first time in program history. The schedule is slanted downfield toward the Razorbacks, with two easy walk-throughs in weeks one and two before hosting Alabama and Rutgers. A 4-0 start is certainly not out of the realm of possibility before heading to Texas A&M, a school Arkansas has handled just fine in recent years. Getting to the bye week without a loss should be a legitimate expectation, with the Alabama hurdle looking to be the most difficult one to get by.

After the bye week Arkansas has a tough road game at South Carolina in November, but all eyes should rightly be locked in on the regular season finale against LSU, at home.

So, will Smith get the job done this season? That remains to be seen, but it certainly would be one of the top stories in college football this fall if the Razorbacks make a BCS run.

I can see it happening. So can Jeff Long.

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