deflategate

Sports talk is abuzz, as #deflategate has resurfaced in the media. In fact, the media buzz has not been limited to sports talk, as the mainstream media outlets have also covered the story extensively. The controversy has resurfaced because the “Wells Report” (named for lead investigator, Ted Wells) was recently completed and released. This is the official investigative report as commissioned by the NFL.  All of this renewed coverage – and many of the opinions expressed – have been disappointing to hear, and are largely the inspiration for this post.

Deflategate, for those who don’t remember, is the New England Patriots’ involvement in deflating their footballs to below the league allowable PSI during this past season’s NFL playoffs, and possibly even longer. There were a lot of questions surrounding deflategate when it first happened, and even now the answers provided in the official report are not absolute. Was the deflation of the footballs accidental? Who was involved? How high up the chain of command was in the know? Is there a competitive advantage to having under-inflated footballs?

The report itself equivocates a bit, using phrases like “more probable than not” and “likely.” There are no absolutes, and there is no “smoking gun” or irrefutable evidence. That said, it does seem to be fairly damning to the Patriots, in particular Tom Brady. The report concludes that the balls almost certainly had to have been tampered with (deflated), that this deflation was likely an attempt to consciously break the rules, and that Tom Brady likely knew about this. But more so than the details within the report, I have been interested to hear much of the debate going on. There are so many facets to this story that it’s hard to focus on only one.

You cannot retro-actively justify cheating or bending the rules because, “Oh, well they probably would have won anyway.”

This one is probably the most nauseating and disturbing excuse that I continue to hear.  You cannot say that because the Patriots beat the Colts so convincingly that the we can ignore any cheating that likely occurred. The cheating occurred before the Patriots knew that they were going to beat the Colts. The intent was to gain an advantage; knowing after the fact that they may not have needed the advantage doesn’t make it okay. It’s like giving yourself a head start in a race and then winning the race by much more than the head start and looking back and saying that it was a fair race because you won by more than the head start. Or like taking a test and cheating on several of the answers only to find out later on that you would have passed the test regardless of the several questions you cheated on. Does this mean that it’s okay to cheat as long as we can somehow justify the final result as, “Ehhh, they probably would have won the race / passed the test anyway…”  And let’s not forget that the week before the Pats versus Colts, was a much closer game against the Ravens – a game in which the Ravens felt there might have been something wrong with the Patriots balls then as well. Regardless of how close the game is, is this the way that we want to try to govern sport, and is this the example that we are wanting sport to teach kids and people in general??

 

“It’s just a deflated football.  We’re talking about footballs months after the fact!”

Of course we’re talking about footballs!  The football is the most essential piece of equipment on the field; to tamper with the ball itself seems to be one of the most egregious ways to tamper with the game. And just because a few months have passed does not mean that we should just ignore that some form of cheating or rule bending very likely occurred. So just exactly how much of a competitive advantage would it be to have footballs under-inflated? Well it’s hard to say exactly, but many seem to agree that it would certainly help with grip on the ball. And some reports have shown what a low fumble rate the Patriots have had over the past several years – perhaps not a direct benefit to Brady, but an overall benefit nonetheless. And for those saying that you wouldn’t notice a difference in 1 or 2 PSI in a ball, you’re right – I wouldn’t. But Tom Brady, Manning, any of those individuals who are at such a level of expertise would very likely be able to notice even the slightest difference. It might also be worth considering this situation like a slugger corking his bat. It doesn’t turn a bad hitter into a home run hitter, but it can turn a great hitter into an elite hitter. Deflating footballs did not make Brady a great quarterback, but it may have given him just the slightest edge here or there.

” There’s no smoking gun; it’s all circumstantial evidence.”

This is interesting to me in that we now live in an age where we expect to have indisputable evidence of any and everything. We need/want to see video of Ray Rice actually hitting his girlfriend before we get outraged. We want to hear Donald Sterling say racist remarks on a recorded device before condemning him (despite decades of documented racist discriminatory practices). We let Johnny Football off the hook because there were some cell phone pictures as evidence, but not quite enough and no video evidence.  In the case of deflategate, we have text messages specifically referencing Brady, and a preponderance of evidence putting him in the know and actively wanting the balls a specific way – a way that is outside the legal limitations. But no actual texts from him, no video, no pictures – no “smoking gun.” I find it very interesting that we have come to expect that kind of hard evidence all the time.

 

“All athletes and organizations try to push the envelope.”

I don’t disagree that athletes are always trying to push the envelope, so to speak.  I don’t have a huge problem with the idea of “pushing the envelope,” but if you enter into rule-breaking territory then it’s no longer simply pushing the envelope. At that point it’s going outside of the allowed parameters. It’s cheating. And if you get caught, then you should have to suffer the consequences. Because other athletes or organizations are doing it (or other questionable practices) does not mean it’s okay.  I’m no moral absolutist by any stretch, but I also don’t think you can allow rule-breaking behavior to continue without any sort of consequences. See corked bat example above – those who get caught get punished harshly.

 

People are just mad because it’s the Patriots and Tom Brady.

People are upset because it’s Tom Brady and the Patriots, yes. And that is because Tom Brady and the Patriots have enjoyed immense success, and now we have found strong evidence showing that they did so outside of the stated rules. Sure, there’s a lot of resentment, but I have also seen a lot of people standing up and defending the Patriots and Tom Brady. I’d like to think that I would be upset at any team who appears to be cheating and ends up having success either as a direct or indirect result of that unfair play.

 

You cannot hold #spygate against them.

Related to above. It’s the Patriots. We have not only the current controversy involving rule breaking activity, but also a history of the same organization with the same cast of characters partaking in rule breaking activity. Depending on how you count, a minimum of 2 and possibly all 4 of the Patriots Super Bowl victories now have documented cases of rule breaking. Yet somehow, they have managed to be viewed as a “class act” and as a well-run, successful organization. Many analysts and others even talk about “the Patriot Way” as a way to describe the way an organization should be run. Yet, I repeat at least 2 and possibly all 4 of their Super Bowl victories have documented incidents of rule-breaking. So in order to properly situate the current deflategate controversy, I would argue that you have to take this patterned history of behavior into account.

Am I a bitter Colts fan made at the Patriots for years of them owning us in the playoffs and regular season? Truth and transparency, there might be a little of that in me, but I have tried to approach this particular story with as little bias as possible. I’d like to think that the above points hold true regardless of any fanhood or hatred of a particular franchise. It seems nearly indisputable that the Patriots intentionally deflated footballs. And I don’t like to be so dismissive as “they won by so much it didn’t matter” or “everyone’s looking for an edge” or “you’re just jealous of Brady and the Patriots.” When you alter the most essential piece of equipment in the game beyond what the rules allow for, it deserves a punishment and it deserves to stick to Brady and the Patriots. Four Super Bowl wins, two-four documented instances of rule-breaking.

For a few good pieces, check here here and here.

 

4 shows to get excited about, and 3 to miss

September is here, and that means that television shows will soon be coming back (or not).  We have a lineup of a few shows that we consistently DVR and really enjoy.  At the same time, we had a few shows that we were starting to enjoy that were dropped even before the end of last season.  Here are 4 shows that we are excited to start back up, and 3 that we had begun to look forward to but were dropped.

Shows to look forward to:

1.  Modern Family.  This show is one of the most popular in the US and has many of the awards and accolades to prove it.  It shows three related families – Jay and his younger Latina wife and her son, Jay’s daughter Claire and her more “traditional” though still quirky family, and Jay’s son Mitchell and his partner and their adopted child’s family.  Each highlights how “family” has evolved to be more diverse and inclusive.  The plots and subplots always intertwine and then tie together brilliantly in each episode.  The show starts back up on September 25th at 9pm on ABC.

 

2.  The Middle.  Go Indiana!  This is an ABC comedy that kicks off on September 25 at 8pm.  It is a quirky Indiana family that is trying to get by as well as they can.  There are plenty of Indiana and Hoosier references throughout the show that will bring a laugh if you are familiar with the area (or the midwest in general).  This is a show that has gotten progressively better from season to season and even episode to episode.  We started off watching it mostly because it was on before Modern Family, but now we look forward to The Middle just as much, if not more than Modern Family.

 

 

3.  New Girl.  The show starts back up on September 17 and is on Fox, Tuesdays at 9.  The show stars Zooey Deschanel (Jess) as the fourth roommate with three guys, Nick, Schmidt, and Winston.  The characters each have their own personality and play off each other really well.  The one thing I am a little worried about is how the show moves forward with newly developing relationship between Jess and Nick.  There was clear tension between those two that added to the plot and comedy of many of the episodes.  At the end of last season, they finally got together… I will be curious to see how this will affect the show moving forward.

 

4. Football!  I am a fan of football, both NFL and college.  Last week the college season kicked off, and last night the NFL season kicked off.  It is the most covered and and most watched sport in the US, and I include myself in that crowd.  I’m excited to football games to watch and focus on instead of peripheral stories.

Shows that aren’t coming back:

1.  GCB.  This show didn’t make it through last season.  It was a show set in Dallas suburb that highlighted the importance and centrality of the church in this small community.  But while many appear to be very “devoted” Christians, you find out that this is a facade in many ways.  The rumors and cat-fighting and back-stabbing that go on just beneath the surface of that Christian piety was rather comical (and probably a fairly accurate depiction/critique in my estimation).  I think that this is what actually made some people uncomfortable and ultimately ended with ABC deciding to cancel this show.

 

2.  Happy Endings.  This show was trying to be the next Friends.  A group of late 20-somethings going through life’s humorous ups and downs in the city of Chicago… All trying to figure out friendships, relationships, jobs, and the city – a recipe for success, right?  We started watching because one of my friends talked it up.  There wasn’t anything particularly good or bad about this series…I think we were watching it out of habit more than anything else.

 

3.  Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23.  This show was pretty funny, and I’m not embarrassed to say that I liked it.  Small town girl (from Indiana!) moves to the big city and was sabotaged again and again by her B of a roommate.  However, they eventually come to a truce and become quasi-friends (most of the time, though there are still occassional sabotage and B moments).  Hands down, the best part of the show (what made the show) was JVDB as himself.  That’s James Van Der Beek for those who aren’t familiar.  He was awesome, poking fun at himself as a somewhat has-been actor still widely recognized in New York.  We were sad to say good-bye to JVDB in this one.

 

 

 

7 things to miss about B-town

The end of August is upon us, which means that fall is just around the corner.  Schools and universities are back in session.  For my money, there’s really no better place to be at this time than Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.  I’ve come up with a short list of 7 things that I will miss about being in Bloomington during this time of year.

1.  Being on a gorgeous campus in a great university town.  Before arriving at Indiana University for graduate school, I sort of had this preconceived notion of “state school” that really wasn’t all that positive.  I certainly did not have the image of historic and beautiful limestone buildings set in the middle of a forest.  Just being in such a setting puts a smile on your face as you walk through campus from building to building as you take classes (or teach).  Additionally, the part of town – “the square” – that is adjacent to campus is very nice and boasts a lot of great shops, restaurants, and bars.

sample gates at iu

2.  The beginning of fall and all that comes with it.  Related to above, the start of fall in Bloomington is absolutely phenomenal.  The changing leaves, the crisp fall air, and the temperature all combine to make Bloomington an awesome place to be at this time.

a picture from the iu library

3.  The start of classes and arrival of students.  A lot of graduate students bemoan the arrival of a bunch of undergrads on campus.  Some people like campus better as it clears out quite a bit in the summer.  But there is just something about seeing the campus become infused with life – people! – that is really cool.  To see the population increase by 25,000-30,000 people in just one weekend is neat.  I love it.

4.  Our little house.  We spent our last year in Bloomington in a great little house that was an easy walk to campus and downtown.  It was a cozy little house with affordable rent in a very pretty area.  We were a part of campus, but not necessarily in the thick of everything.  The place we are at now is actually bigger than our house was, but there is just something that feels a little different about living in a house versus an apartment.

the sidewalk in front of our house

5.  Missing out on two of our good friends and their new house.  By the time we left Bloomington, many of our friends had already left or were about to move themselves.  However, two of our good friends were just getting settled into Bloomington and just recently bought a house there.  It would have been great to have helped them move in and then be available to spend time together and hang out!

6.  Walking and biking everywhere.  In under 10 minutes!  One of the great things about Bloomington is that if you’re near campus, you can walk or bike just about anywhere you need or want to go.  And it’s a lovely walk or bike ride (see above), and is really quite bike friendly.  I can’t overstate how nice it was to be able to walk/bike – to campus (work), to bars, restaurants, events, etc (all with very affordable college pricing!).  We currently find ourselves driving quite a bit more to get anywhere.  It’s not the worst thing that could happen, but I liked the ability to get where I needed to go quickly and easily.

7.  Tailgates.  Indiana kicks off its season against the Indiana State Sycamores at 7pm this evening.  IU football may not be all that impressive to watch, but the tailgates that accompany them certainly are.  In fact, the shirts that say, “We may not win the game, But we never lose the tailgate” couldn’t be more right.  The tailgating at IU is unreal, and I will miss the walk down to the stadium and fields to take part in that atmosphere.

As you can tell, I have very fond memories of Indiana University and Bloomington, Indiana…Especially at this time of year!  This time of year it is second to none.  That being said, we are both very happy with our situation here in our new home.  In a few months, I may very well find myself writing about how grateful I am to avoid the Bloomington winters!

 

‘Bama, the BCS, and the Bachelor: What we learned last night

In last night’s National Championship Game, Alabama rolled in a 42-14 victory over the Irish.  This was a score that some – maybe even many – suspected deep-down, but were probably a bit too nervous to predict out loud (unless you live in Alabama).  And while this score looks bad, it doesn’t even do an adequate job in describing the way that ‘Bama dominated every phase of the game.  At half-time I tweeted:

Which is more likely: Bama completes the shutout or Bama drops 50? Or both? #Findingwaystostayinterested

Neither of those two things happened.  And no, I didn’t find a way to stay fully devoted or interested in the BCS Championship Game.  But there are some takeaways from last night’s game – things we learned (or confirmed):

The Bachelor is going to be super cray cray, OMG! *screamed in my best sorority voice*:
Sean Lowe is this season’s hunky bachelor looking for love.  He was one of the final three guys from last season’s bachelorette, but never got further than that.  The fit, blonde-haired, family-oriented, give-it-up-for-God, Dallas man is apparently what all the ladies are looking for these days.  (Wait, did I just fall in love too??)

By half-time I could no longer defend watching only the BCS game to my girlfriend (thanks a lot, ND).  Actually, on second thought, thanks a lot ND.  Seriously.  Because it turns out that the Bachelor was more entertaining and action-packed than the football game being played.

As it turns out, there was some *gasp* drama on the bachelor already.  Sean decided to bend the rules and give out roses whenever he felt like it, at least a few girls tipped back a few too many drinks (one even fell down), and someone showed up in a wedding dress.  Wow.

Yes, the SEC is “that good”:
There have been grumbles from some (in other conferences, of course) that the SEC is overrated and gets an unfair amount of attention and consideration when it comes to BCS games, particularly the National Championship Game.  Well, guess what! ‘Bama rolled, and they rolled big over the Irish.  And we saw them win some squeakers in the SEC.  I guess that conference must have some decent competition.

Notre Dame also happens to be in a unique position.  Because they are the favorite football child and don’t have to play by the rules, they get to “sample” a lot of conferences.  You could call it a smorgasbord schedule – they meet the Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, ACC, and Pac 12.  You could make the argument that they could (should) have lost a few of those games, but they were able to pull out a victory against every team.  Even if they had lost one of those games, it wouldn’t have been in blowout fashion.  The glaringly absent conference from that list is the SEC.  And Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide showed Notre Dame that SEC football is different – very different – than football in any other conference in America.  The SEC Alabama team was bigger, faster, stronger, and better coached.

The Irish skeptics were right:
Related to the above.  There are more than a handful of Irish skeptics and naysayers who screamed at the top of their lungs that the Irish were not the top team in the country.  Some argued that even with an unblemished record, they didn’t deserve to be in this game.  They claimed that struggling to wins against lower than SEC-level competition wasn’t enough to be considered for a national championship.  After last night’s shellacking, I think we have to admit that there is at least some truth to that.

The Irish did capture the hearts of many and rekindled the love-affair with the trademark golden helmeted team.  With a top recruiting class coming in next season, the question remains as to whether they can prove to be relevant once again.  It will take a few years of prominence to quiet the skeptics.

Playoffs Playoffs Playoffs!:
Though college football has recently come around to the idea of a playoff system (set to start after the 2014 season), it didn’t arrive soon enough.  This year’s matchup of an undefeated (though often discredited) Notre Dame team versus a one-loss Alabama did not satisfy fans’ appetites for a good, competitive championship game.  It left a lot of potentially great matchups to our imaginations (as always).  Teams with only one loss – Oregon, Florida, Kansas State were all left in the cold.  A lot of good two loss teams were as well – Texas A&M (would’ve loved that rematch!), LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, and so on.  Instead we saw an unappealing assortment of bowl games (per usual), where after several weeks of rest, teams really didn’t have a lot to play for.  The four team playoff structure will likely still be critiqued (as it should), but it will at least add some component of legitimacy to the idea crowning a National Champion.

Long time broadcaster Brent Musberger apparently couldn’t take his eyes off Katherine Webb, ‘Bama quarterback AJ McCarron’s girlfriend.  This could have been a result of the lack of action on the field itself.  But let’s be honest, it could also be because it’s completely true.  Katherine Webb is an extremely attractive young lady and Miss Alabama.  But I do think that we would have all been a little less uncomfortable if Musberger had let it go and moved on a little sooner than he did…

 

And that puts a rather dissatisfying end to the 2012 college football season.  The Crimson Tide roll and end up as the #1 ranked team in the country (dynasty, anyone?) as the Irish drop to #4 in the AP.

I wrote this for this site, but decided to double-post here as well (as I sometimes do).

 

NFL Playoffs

Well, friends it’s playoff time in the NFL this weekend.  I’m looking forward to watching as many of the games as I can.  Below is a short article I wrote outlining my predictions for this first-round of the playoffs (it is also posted on this site):

The NFL Playoffs are set.  While this means that there are fewer games to watch this weekend, it also means that the stakes – and level of competitiveness – will be ratcheted up.  A Super Bowl victory is now a legitimate possibility for the twelve teams who made the playoffs.

Let’s take a look at this weekend’s first-round games to see who I think will move one step closer to hoisting the coveted Lombardi Trophy.

AFC:

First-round byes: Broncos (13-3) and Patriots (12-4).  See you both next round.

Bengals (10-6) at Texans (12-4): Saturday 4:30pm

To say that the Texans have stumbled heading into the playoffs would be an understatement.  The Texans were 11-1 before losing three of their last four, along with the top seed and a first round bye.  In order to make a serious super bowl run, you usually want to be playing well going into the playoffs, and the Texans certainly appear to be doing the exact opposite.  The Bengals, on the other hand, have won three of their last four games and as they secured the sixth and final playoff position in the AFC.

Despite the recent trends for these teams, I just don’t see the Bengals winning this one.  Arian Foster will lead the way on the ground and help control the clock.  This will only help to open things up for Schaub and the aerial attack to Andre Johnson as well as his other talented receivers and tight end.  JJ Watt will wreak havoc on the defensive side of the ball, and the Texans will win this one handily, 31-20.

 

Colts (11-5) at Ravens (10-6): Sunday 1pm

Anyone who said that they saw the Colts finishing this season at 11-5 and earning a playoff berth is probably not telling the truth.  The team looked completely lost last year and essentially dismantled much of the team while at the same time saying good-bye to Peyton Manning.  They took Andrew Luck with the number one overall pick and managed to grab some other talented rookies who have produced in a big way.  The Ravens have Ray Rice who should have a big game against the Colts’ flimsy run defense.  The other Ray – Ray Lewis (maybe you’ve heard of him?!) – has announced his retirement for next year which will likely inspire his team to play with some extra emotion to help him make one last run in the playoffs.

Despite the Colts’ youth versus the Raven’s seasoned veteran team, I am picking with my heart on this one and saying that the Colts will find a way to win this game.  That’s really not that far of a leap as the Colts have been finding ways to win close games all season.  Luck has looked like anything but a rookie as he has led the team to an incredible seven fourth-quarter comeback victories.  Add another notch to his belt as the Colts win in a close one, 23-17.

NFC:

First-round byes: Falcons (13-3) and 49ers (11-4-1).  See you next round.

Vikings (10-6) at Packers (11-5): Saturday 8pm

Adrian Peterson managed to put the Vikings on his back and run them straight into the playoffs as the sixth seed in the NFC.  Along the way, he managed to come within nine yards of breaking the single-season rushing record.  He deserves the League MVP Award for doing this on a team that clearly lacks any sort of passing threat.  The Packers have somehow managed to fly just under the media radar this year as they got off to what some would say was a shaky start.  Perhaps not going 15-1 with huge pressure and expectations will pan out this time.

These two teams met twice in the regular season with each team winning a game.  Peterson ran all over the Packers both games.  Unfortunately for the Vikings, this one-sided running assault won’t be enough to keep up with Packers’ playoff passing attack.  Packers win, 35-17.

 

Seahawks (11-5) at Redskins (10-6): Sunday 4:30pm

This match-up featuring two rookie quarterbacks (which makes three playoff teams with starting rookie quarterbacks) is the most difficult pick of the weekend.  Both quarterbacks have minimized mistakes while leading their respective teams to impressive seasons.  Wilson’s ascension has been slightly more gradual and he has been able to lean heavily on the running game featuring Marshawn Lynch.  The Seahawks defense as well have proven to be one of the most tenacious in the league.  RGIII’s success was a bit more immediate and has certainly garnered the lion’s share of the media attention.  However, it is hard to say that this team would have had this kind of success without the efforts of another rookie on that team, Alfred Morris, running the football effectively all year.

Again, I have the most difficulty picking this one.  These teams didn’t meet in the regular season, and it’s hard to pick Russell Wilson over RGIII in a big playoff game.  But that Seahawks defense has looked stout.  And the final stretch of the season they showed that they were capable of putting points – lots of points – on the board.  I give the slight edge to the Seahawks on this one, 24-20.

 

Those who have nothing to hide…

Someone posted the following quote on Facebook a few weeks ago that I happened to notice:

“Next time someone hauls out that cliche of ‘if you did nothing wrong, you’ve nothing to hide,’ ask for all their passwords & put them online.” – Glenn Greenwald

It is an interesting quote…I’m not sure that the analogy is not perfect, but I do think it is illustrative of the point that Greenwald* was trying to get across: we shouldn’t feel forced into revealing any and all information that is asked of us based on the logic of “well if you’re innocent, then you’ll be fine.”  In fact, that’s one reason why we have some constitutional rights that protect us from illegal search and seizure and grant us due process (disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer!).

That quote in and of itself is interesting and perhaps deserves some attention and discussion…

But what made me think of it was hearing about the recent Saints’ “bounty gate” scandal developments.  In a sense, this is what Jonathan Vilma of the Saints stood up for.  Early on, Vilma refused to go talk to NFL Commissioner Goodell about this scandal because he believed it was a “witch hunt”.  As someone who proclaimed his own innocence, Vilma didn’t feel that he should be obligated to take part in such a “witch hunt”.  Many in the media said that if he was innocent, he would have gone immediately.  They then assumed that his refusal to go was evidence of his guilt.  “Otherwise, why would he hide…”

As it turns out, his suspensions and fines were just lifted.  In doing this, the NFL essentially admitted that they don’t have any hard evidence tying him to what they claimed he was doing as far as bounty gate went**.  Vilma decided that he wouldn’t give in to the “if you’re innocent, then you have nothing to hide” logic.  He was punished, but he fought back and he won.  I’m sure that it was more frustrating and tedious than he possibly could have imagined, but it seems to have paid off for him (quite literally – fine money and salary).  He also took a stand that may help serve some who come along later; his actions also may help combat that “if you’re innocent you’ve got nothing to hide” cliche.

I know that this scandal is complex and there is more to it than this, but I do think it’s an interesting aspect to think about.  The quote above may not be a perfect analogy, but it does seem to be an interesting parallel in some ways.

 

 

*I hadn’t heard of Greenwald until I saw this quote.  After a brief internet search I found out that he worked as a civil rights litigator and now writes on many political issues (for the New York Times, Salon.com, and the Guardian to name a few). 

**This is saying quite a bit since under the new CBA, the NFL doesn’t really need any evidence at all; Goodell can basically act unilaterally based on whatever he thinks is best for the league.

 

CU Coach Embree Fired, Race Debate Follows

I am not a Colorado Buffalos sports fan.  I don’t follow any of their teams, players, coaches, or records.  But the firing of football coach, Jon Embree, after his second year at CU has made some waves for a couple of reasons.

First, it was a rather tearful press conference.  He is certainly not the first or only coach to have an emotional press conference following his dismissal, but it was an emotional event, and those type of events seem to make headlines.

The second reason that this has begun to make some waves, is because of a comment that he made during this dismissal:

“You know, we [minority coaches] don’t get second chances.  That’s ok.  You know, you know that going into it.  I think Tyrone [Willingham] did.  Um…I don’t know if there’s ever been another one fired that’s gotten another opportunity at the college level.  But, every minority coach knows that going into it.”

I’ll start with this: CU had a terrible year.  The worst year in school history, actually.  Their overall record and their record in the PAC10 was bad, and they lost handily in many of the games.  There’s no debating that.

But Embree was put into a terrible situation for a bad team that was coming off similarly bad years…It took five losing seasons before Embree’s predecessor was finally let go.  Embree was brought in with the understanding that this was a 4-5 year rebuilding project.  Oh, and he was offered one of the lowest salaries in the FBS to accomplish this task (though they do have to buy out his contract for about $1.5 million now that he’s been fired).  And he had the rug yanked out from under him after two years.  Before any of his own recruits had much of a chance to do anything (and their star receiver was out for the year with an injury).  The CU athletic department said that they were already looking towards their next head coach and were willing to spend around $2.5 million to bring someone in – about 3 times what Embree was making when he was fired.

Recap so far: He was brought in to turn around a terrible team, was relatively low-paid for this job (ok, it’s hard to feel bad about this even if it is “low” by coaching standards), was unable to give his own guys a chance to work their way into his system, and was fired after two years – less than half of the time he thought he had.  Oh, and during his 3 semesters there the team had the highest GPA in CU football history.  But keeping putting the student back in student-athlete isn’t a priority. 

So far, this seems like a raw deal, but I guess I can see it – the worst record in school history at a time when coaches are expected to win and win now. Still, I find the firing questionable…

Regardless of Embree’s status as hired or fired as an individual, he did bring up a larger issue, and one that is always certain to stir up controversy – race.  People have jumped all over this story and have accused Embree of “playing the race card” saying that he is blaming his firing on being a minority.  Not true.  Embree made a statement about race.  So when you look at the facts – yes, I often like to deal in facts – how does his statement hold up?.

He said that only one black coach was ever given a second chance as a head coach at the collegiate level (Tyrone Willingham).  That’s absolutely true.  Fact.

So that’s a little disturbing.  It seems that black coaches aren’t really being given a second chance when it comes to coaching at the college level.  But hey, at least black coaches are being given opportunities to begin with…if they blow it then it’s their own fault, right?

Actually, this is where it gets even more disturbing.  It absolutely appears that black coaches aren’t being given opportunities.  Since 1979 (33 years), there have been a grand total of 41 black coaches in the FBS college football.  There are about 120 FBS schools.  I repeat, only 41 coaches of color in the past 33 years.  And only 1 has ever been given a second chance as a college head coach.  EVER.

Surprised?  Maybe, but it’s probably willful blindness if you’re truly shocked by this news.  When you examine the upper echelon of leadership at universities and consider that these individuals are the ones doing the hiring, it’s not surprising at all.  91% of university presidents are white.  100% of conference commissioners are white.  88% of athletic directors are white.  A lack of diversity at the top doesn’t lead to increased diversity of those whom they hire.  (PS. This isn’t unique to universities and coaches).  ESPN’s First Take crew had a productive debate regarding this issue making some important points (here is that debate – start around 1:11:00).  (Additionally, you can look at TIDE for race and gender stats in a variety of sports.)

How do we get more equitable opportunities for coaches then?  Well, the NFL implemented the Rooney Rule in 2003 and it has seemed to be at least somewhat successful.  It states that minorities need to be interviewed and considered for coaching and management positions.  Something similar will likely be debated at the college level due to this case.

The other thing that people will inevitably say is that black coaches need to seize these opportunities, and pave the way for those coming later.  This is true, but is it right to put individuals in those positions?  You’re not just coaching for your own job, but for the potential opportunities for your entire race to come. And PS. you get less margin of error to succeed.  Yikes, no pressure there.  Does this occur in both directions?  We’ve hired a white guy before and he didn’t do as well as we hoped so we’re going to go another direction.  (Yeah, I haven’t ever heard that either.)

So should Embree have been fired?  He had a terrible year, but I think that a strong case could be made to call his firing questionable.  But it’s not about him as an individual.  It’s about a broader issue that’s problematic.  Disturbing, actually.  And even those who like to look the other way cannot ignore the facts.  Because they are facts.  Only 41 black coaches since 1979.  And only 1 has ever been re-hired as a college head coach.  EVER.  Those are the unfortunate facts.  Black coaches simply don’t have the luxury of getting second chances; in fact, it’s rare for them to even get “first chances”.

But now those facts are out there, and the dialogue has hopefully gotten rejuvenated.  Unfortunately, it took Embree losing his job to do it…

 

As Luck would have it…

The Indianapolis Colts took Andrew Luck as the first overall pick in this past year’s draft. While Luck was largely touted as one of the most “NFL-ready” quarterbacks in years, it was still a difficult process for many Colts fans as they were also going through the mourning process of saying good-bye to Peyton Manning.

Manning was a fixture for the Colts and paramount to their success (of which they had a lot!). He was both extremely successful and loved by the city. To say good-bye (even after a few neck surgeries) and watch him head to another team was sad and painful – even when we were told what a stud Luck was going to be.

So to help ease our minds, let’s take a look at how Luck’s first four games in the NFL have compared to Manning’s first four NFL games:

For current Colts fans looking toward the future, this should be an encouraging chart to look at.  Luck already has two wins to his resume (it should be three if not for a terrible defensive breakdown in the waning seconds against Jacksonville), and he has managed to keep the interceptions down even while attempting a lot of passes (that was always one of the most frustrating parts of watching early Manning – the untimely interceptions).  He’s also shown a bit more athleticism with his ability to pick up some yards on the ground when forced to scramble.

Now this isn’t to say that Luck is better, or that he will be better, than Manning.  I’m a big fan of Manning (I was sad to see him leave, and I continue to root for him in Denver), but I understood that the Colts had to make that decision.  Manning maintained an extremely high level of play and success for a long time.  Luck is in his fourth game of the NFL.  He is performing at an impressive level and shows a lot of promise moving forward.  So let’s be encouraged, but continue to manage our expectations and remember that he is in the initial stage of his (hopefully long) career.

 

On Sports Anaylsts and Accountability

Jordan*, a great friend of mine, said something to me my freshman year of college that has always stuck with me, and seems especially relevant as of late.  It may not seem like the most profound or prophetic statement ever made, but as I said, it’s stuck with me for quite sometime.

“The thing about sports analysts is that they have no accountability for their opinions, predictions, or picks.”  [Roughly paraphrased from memory.]

An astute observation.  Something that I had never thought about, nor been forced to think about up to that point (I never really had access to cable television before college and was thus not nearly as exposed to the plethora of analysts and sports talk shows that now flood various networks).

This statement about lack of accountability seems especially relevant during football season (though it surely exists during other seasons as well).  Every week day, we are exposed to a barrage of analysts offering “expert” thoughts, picks, and opinions on current happenings.  It seems that the first couple days of the week are spent trying to explain away or rationalize their blown picks (or conversely, play up those picks that they got correct – thus legitimizing their “expert” status).  The second half of the week begins the build up to the upcoming week and submitting a new set of “expert” picks for the next set of games to be played.  I’ve come up with three different categories that help analysts to shirk some of this accountability or responsibility for their sometimes dismal picks:

“Shoulda, woulda, coulda…”:  Remember that one play that happened…if that wouldn’t have happened, then my pick would have been right!  If only my team had done what I thought they were going to do! If only the team I picked would have scored more points than the other team, we would have won! [Yes, you are exactly correct on that.]

If the team I picked would have just made(stopped) that one play…

If team x’s coach would have played the right personnel…

Player y never has a big game.  That was a once in a lifetime performance and they would never win if they played again…

They got a lucky break…

Hedged bets: I talk enough about sports and make so many predictions that surely at least some part of my prediction is correct.  And if I make certain qualifications to be met for my picks to be valid, then I can never be wrong, right?!?

Well I know that I picked team x.  But I did say that team y was a dangerous team on the move, so really I kind of called it…

I said that player z needed to have a great game for my team to win, so I wasn’t wrong because he didn’t have a great game (like I thought he would)…

I picked team y early on to win the division, so even though I picked against team y this week (and they won), I’m still not wrong…

 

Controversial claims:  I will make seemingly wild predictions and stick to them because it stirs up controversy and attracts attention.  Plus, when I do (rarely) get them right, then it makes me look like a really smart guy with some kind of secret formula or insider information.

I was going out on a limb to make this pick because I’m so clever that I saw an angle no one else saw (I just happened to be wrong)…

 

 

Is there a precise “science” to these picks?  No.  Otherwise, we might expect a bit more – oh, I don’t know… – precision!  But we don’t see that.  And yet, we see these same analysts back on air week after week with newer, bolder, more certain predictions and analysis.  They’re the “experts” even when they’re wrong; we rarely hold them accountable (though with more and more interaction and access through sites such as Twitter and Facebook, we do see at least a little pushback from the Average Joe Fan critiquing some analysts).

Afterall, isn’t that why we watch the games; you are never certain about who is going to win.  “Any given team can be beaten at any given time.”  That’s one of my dad’s favorite sports quotes, and it illustrates that exact point.  No one really knows. (Until it happens, and then those who were wrong – but are clever enough – can surely explain why their pick was actually spot on.)  Sure, some of us are probably more knowledgeable and more accurate than others, but even then it’s a crapshoot.

So should we rail against these experts everytime they are wrong?  No, not necessarily.  But we also shouldn’t hold them up as if they are omniscient experts of the games.  And we should not let them completely off the hook by hedging their bets every week or talking their way out of every missed pick with “what ifs” “should haves” and other excuses…  A little accountability may not be a bad thing.

*I did not consult Jordan with any of the content of this post; I cannot say that he would agree with the content here or with how I have taken his quote and run with it. This was a quote from several years ago, but it was the impetus for my own awareness of some of these things, and I feel that it’s interesting to think about as we see the parade of analysts and hosts discuss these topics every day. 

 

The Joys Of (Fantasy) Football

This evening the NFL season begins with a highly anticipated match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.  As well as watching football, this also means that thousands of Fantasy Football Leagues will be commencing (mine included).  Millions of Average Joes (and Janes) will be trying to showcase their knowledge and potential skill as great football managers/owners/minds as they live out the entire football season vicariously through their artificially constructed teams.

But why is it that we love our NFL so much?  In turn, why is it that fantasy football is so popular?

Surely, there are a multitude of factors that contribute to the answers of these particular questions.  The game is fast-paced, it is full of exciting plays and players, and there is a lot of media coverage to simply name a few reasons.  With the understanding that there is no one correct answer to the above questions, I’d like to point out that the structure and scheduling of the league acts as a catalyst for its popularity, especially for fantasy football leagues and participants.

As many people know, the NFL plays a shorter, more structured schedule than most other mainstream professional sports.  There are only 16 games per team in the regular season and those games occur on Sundays and Monday nights (with a few exceptions: tonight, Thanksgiving, and a few Thursday night games later in the season).   What this does is create a concentrated amount of exposure and coverage on these two game days.  Sunday and Monday (night) are football days.  This makes it extremely easy for an average fan to follow his/her team.  You don’t have to worry about what day or time your team is playing nearly as much.

Do we have a day game or night game this Tuesday? When is our next game, Wednesday or Friday? Do we have 3 games this week, or just two?

No. One game. And it’s probably Sunday (a day that many people may have some leisure/free time).  And if you happen to be wrong, then it’s not too late, because then it’s Monday night, and you can still catch the game.  There’s not a lot of added work or complexity to follow your team.  Sure, if you want to be a really good fan, then you might check out your team’s schedule weeks or months in advance and scout out the opposition and how the bye week may or may not affect your beloved team.  But even the casual fan can find it fairly simple to watch all – or nearly all – of a team’s games throughout the season.  And with relatively few games played in a season, each of these games is important.

 

This is also a huge factor in making Fantasy Football so popular.  It’s relatively easy to manage and stay involved.  Even the average fan can generally find time on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning to set his/her lineup.  You can do it once a week and still be right in the thick of things.  Sure, you may miss out on the waiver wire and not get that newest wide receiver or free agent who has recently caught fire, but that’s probably not going to sink your team on its own.  As long as you find that little snippet of time, your team will probably be in reasonable shape.  The same can be said of the scoring in Fantasy Football.  It’s very easy to follow because all of the scoring happens on two days (and most on one day).

 

 

In other fantasy sports leagues, keeping track of how many of your players play on which days in which week and against whom can be a little exhausting and overwhelming for the average fan.  It can even be a good deal of work for the “hard core” fan.  Now you’re trying to manage separate schedules of multiple players who play on any given day of the week at any given time.  It’s more complex, and a little messier.  Some may relish that added complexity, but others may be turned off by it.

So simply the structure of the league as far as it’s scheduling has strengthened the allegiance of the average fan.  Fantasy Football has only aided that process.  The average fan who participates in Fantasy Football is generally fairly knowledgeable about a variety of players throughout the league, and becomes moreso simply by checking in on his/her Fantasy team a couple of times per week.  Without even realizing it, many average fans have been converted into quite loyal fans, and without much effort on their part.

From the NFL’s perspective, this is probably a wonderful (though perhaps, unintended) consequence to a scheduling necessity.  You see, the NFL almost has to schedule games that way.  Not because they were brilliant and thought that it had the potential to create such a strong fan base, but because football is an extremely physical, aggressive, high-impact game.  Players need those days in between games to heal and recuperate before heading back out to play another game.  Trying to play multiple games a week would certainly cause injuries to skyrocket while decreasing the quality of play on the field.  And so it happened to work out well for them.

Here’s to hoping that this year’s Fantasy endeavors work out well for me!  Go Team Trokski and Wendy’s Warriors.  Yes, I am in two leagues.  And why not?  It’s so easy…

Official mascot of Wendy’s Warriors

What do you think??

Other reasons that account for NFL and/or Fantasy Football’s popularity?