misunderestimation

Are the New York Giants going to return to the Super Bowl? If so, they will have to make it without last year’s Super Bowl star Plaxico Burress

The New York Giants fined and suspended Plaxico Burress on Tuesday for four games — the rest of the regular season — after he accidentally shot himself in the right thigh over the weekend at a Manhattan nightclub. The team also placed him on the reserve non-football injury list, which means the wide receiver couldn’t come back for the playoffs.

So Burress is finished with the Giants this year, but that may only be the beginning of his problems. In 2006, New York passed anti-gun legislation with mandatory minimums and Burress could be looking at some real jail time:

[The anti-gun law] eliminated a provision that gave judges the option of not imposing jail time on people found guilty of illegally possessing a loaded firearm.

Instead, the three-and-a-half year minimum sentence was established. As a result, legal experts said Tuesday, Burress may have little wiggle room as he tries to avoid prison time.

“Even if he pleads down, he can only plead down one count and he would still face a minimum of two years in prison,” said Robert C. Gottlieb, a New York-based criminal defense lawyer and a former prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

“The other wiggle room is that he could try and prevent the district attorney’s office from charging him with this crime and charge him with a lesser crime.”

Charging Burress with a lesser crime would like spark a wave of criticism in New York and around the country. Considering we just elected a president who is pro gun control, this may not be the best time for a more “relaxed” charge. New York’s Mayor Bloomberg appears to be in no mood for a lesser sentence:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who Monday stressed in no uncertain times that Burress made a “a sham, a mockery” of the law and that he should be fully prosecuted, was less vociferous yesterday.

What a mess. All from an athlete believing that the rules did not apply to him and who didn’t take the time to learn about the proper way to handle a handgun.

Tags: NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?
• NFL Mistake: Steelers Non-Touchdown Costs Gamblers $32 Million

In today’s dose of What’s Wrong with the NFL, the headlines read “Plexico Burress Surrenders to Police.” Why would the NY Giants star wide receiver and hero of Superbowl XLII be surrendering to police?

Nearly three days after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub, Giants receiver Plaxico Burress turned himself in at a New York City police precinct in midtown Manhattan on Monday morning to face charges of criminal possession of a handgun.

At 8 a.m., Burress, escorted by his lawyer, stepped out of a black Cadillac Escalade and walked calmly into the 17th Precinct station house at East 51st Street and Lexington Avenue — three blocks north of the night club where the incident took place — as throngs of onlookers, some of them heckling, and reporters stood behind metal barricades. Dressed in jeans and a white shirt with a collar, Burress did not appear to be limping, and said nothing as he entered the precinct.

Yes, he shot himself in the leg. I’ve heard the saying I shot myself in the foot, but that was in reference to getting out of something bad and making a mistake. Why would Burress want to jeopardize his pro career and millions of dollars? What are his options?

Burress plans to plead not guilty to a weapon possession charge during a Monday afternoon court appearance, his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said outside the police station. Conviction on the charge could result in at least 3 1/2 years in prison.

“He is standing tall. He is a mature adult,” said Brafman. “I think any professional athlete in this situation would be concerned.”

And there is the problem. “I think any professional athlete in this situation would be concerned.” Why do professional athletes get into these situations? Why do the insist on hanging-out with the “wrong” crowd and decide to arm themselves? In the case of Burress, he was obviously in greater danger from himself than from others. Why do these stories keep coming?

I’m sure more will come out of this, but it is just another example of why I need to explain bizarre behavior to my kids and remind them that professional athletes are NOT role models…again.

Tags: NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?
• NFL Mistake: Steelers Non-Touchdown Costs Gamblers $32 Million

Disturbing news out of Houston today regarding Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s dad, Marvin Driver:

The father of a noted NFL player was in critical condition Wednesday, two days after an incident in which his family says Houston police officers beat the man while arresting him on outstanding traffic warrants.

Police said Marvin Driver, the father of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver, was taken into custody about 1:30 a.m. on Monday. He was unresponsive when he arrived at the Southeast Jail on Mykawa, police said.

Family members say 56-year-old Marvin Driver was beaten by officers after being arrested at his mother’s house in southeast Houston.

Late Wednesday, Houston police spokesman Victor Senties declined to address specific questions regarding the allegations. But in a statement, HPD noted that the internal affairs division is investigating claims “that injuries he sustained following his arrest were the result of an assault on Mr. Driver by two HPD officers.”

Wait, he was arrested and left the house in good shape and arrived at the jail having been beaten? How did this all start?

The incident began late Sunday when Driver was dropping his brother, Winston Driver, off after the two had moved furniture, family members said.

Officers stopped Marvin Driver Jr. in front of his mother’s home, relatives said. An argument took place between police and Driver’s family, as well as between Driver and officers over the language police were using, according to the written statement issued by family members.

Police told relatives Driver was being taken to jail for the outstanding warrants, relatives said. “Later, the family found out he never made it to the jail,” the statement said.

Something is missing here. I’d like to believe that HPD officers are not roaming gangs of thugs that randomly beat individuals for no reason, there has to be more to this story. Quanell X has appeared on the scene to help the Driver family and had this to say:

Houston Activist Quanell X says Marvin Driver was taken behind a local gas station by police officers, kicked and beaten. Quanell X also said officers allegedly forced Marvin Driver to swallow something and allegedly taunted him by saying, “This is going to take you to Jesus.”

What? “Take you to Jesus?” Really, that’s what they said? Isn’t there video of the event from the police car? HPD does not comment on cases like this, but I’m very interested in their side of the story. From the sports perspective, the Packers are giving all the time and support Driver needs to be there with his father.

The Packers previously had planned to give Driver, their 10th-year veteran receiver, time off from practice on Wednesday and Thursday because the 33-year old has been dealing with several nagging injuries, but coach Mike McCarthy said Driver has “had a personal situation that has come up, and he’s dealing with that right now.”

McCarthy declined further comment but said he believed Driver would be back with the team in time for Monday’s game at New Orleans.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he has not spoken with Driver but was aware of the situation.

“This is a family in here, and we support each other,” Rodgers said. “It’s a difficult situation, and we’re just going to come behind him and pray for him and be there for him when he returns.”

All I can say is, my thoughts are with the Driver family and I hope for the speedy recover of Mr. Driver. I also hope for a quick resolution of the events of this case and the guilty be punished with the same level of intensity used in the beating of Mr. Driver. If this case is found to be an act of brutality, HPD will have a lot of explaining to do.

Tags: Houston, NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Houston to Host NCAA Final Four in 2011 and 2016

Correction: the Final Four will be in Houston in 2011 and 2016, not 2010 as originally reported.

Great news for Houston sports fans today:

Reliant Stadium has been selected to host the men’s basketball Final Four in 2016, the NCAA announced today.

The national finals that year will be April 2-4 in Houston.

That’s great news. We hosted a regional final this past year and it went very well. Everyone who I spoke with thought Reliant Stadium worked as a basketball venue and the environment was great. The NCAA announced other cities who will be hosting the Final Four games as well:

In addition to New Orleans getting the 2012 event, Atlanta will host it in 2013, Dallas-Fort Worth in 2014, Indianapolis in 2015 and Houston in 2016.

The 2014 Final Four in Dallas-Forth Worth will be held at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium that is in the final stages of construction.

That will be a trick to host the games in an 80,000+ seat venue. Good luck Dallas…

In the past few years we have hosted the MLB and NBA All Star games, Superbowl XXXVIII, NCAA Regional Finals, Big 12 Championship game, Bowl Games, and the World Series. Now, all we need is a real football team and maybe we could host an NFL playoff game! Here’s hoping.

Tags: Houston

More misunderestimation

• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?
• Hurricane Ike – Video from Northwest Houston

For those football fans without cable TV, you are now officially in trouble:

ESPN and the Bowl Championship Series confirmed Tuesday that they have reached agreement on a four-year television deal beginning in 2011 that gives the cable network broadcast rights to the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and the national championship game, which rotates among those three plus the Rose Bowl. Sources from both sides said the contract is worth $500 million.

Perhaps this is a sign of the times. It’s getting harder to find the “free lunch” in the sports world. Prime sports are moving more toward a pay-per-view option:

ESPN and other cable network providers say this isn’t a big deal, noting that in most American homes today, subscription TV is a utility, like power and water. An estimated 98 million of America’s 118 million television households have cable or satellite systems.

Moreover, some of that other 20 million are a step ahead, not a step behind. They’re iPhonegeneration kids who skip cable so they can get higher-octane Internet – and watch TV that way.

But still, for the 15 million to 20 million households that only have broadcast TV, Tuesday’s announcement is the bluntest declaration so far that they’re being shut out of one of America’s biggest cultural common denominators: major sports.

It is true, as cable and sports operators note, that this is a business with costs, and no one has a right to enjoy the product for nothing.

OK. So most of us already have ESPN and having access online helps those who do not have cable. Add to that the digital TV conversion in February and it looks like not having cable/satellite is no longer even an option for sports fans or TV viewers in general.

I know the “bottom-line” mentality has been around since the first exchange of goods, but it seems that we are getting out-of-hand. Advertising is squeezed into every possible corner, even on the field of play and the player’s uniforms. Commercials run over top of plays and have worked their way into the play-by-play. We are already paying for the right to view sports. At what point does it end?

More misunderestimation

In yesterday’s game between Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers, the NFL referees made a call that had a big impact on Las Vegas. Referees make calls all the time that have an impact on Vegas, but this one was different. To understand, start by watching the video of the play:

I saw this live. The Chargers were desperate for a last-second score to try and win the game so they pitched the ball around trying to find an open player. The Steelers Troy Polamalu snared one of those throws and ran it back for a touchdown. The clock showed all zeros and the game appeared to be over. Next thing you know, the referees were on the field reviewing the play and, as the video shows, they took the touchdown away. Here is the story from the Chicago Tribune:

On first-and-10 from San Diego’s 21 with 5 seconds remaining, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers threw a short pass to LaDainian Tomlinson over the middle for 3 yards. Tomlinson turned and made a handoff-type lateral to wide receiver Chris Chambers, who attempted to pitch the ball to a teammate only to have safety Troy Polamalu scoop it up and score from the 12.

Both teams left the field on what looked to be a game-ending play, but were called back by the officials for the extra-point attempt. At that point, the replay official called for a review.

After watching the play, [Referee Scott] Green initially announced the ruling on the field was upheld and the touchdown counted. But the officiating crew huddled again before the extra-point attempt and changed the call, deciding that an illegal forward pass should have ended the play.

Green, in a postgame interview with a pool reporter, said that call was errant.

“We should have let the play go through in the end, yes,” Green said.

Oops. Frankly, I was shocked to see that the would even review a play like this. The game was over and the call on the field was a touchdown. Why would you need to review this play? In the end, it didn’t have any impact on the results of the game. Oh wait, there were millions of dollars at stake in Vegas:

The call didn’t affect the outcome of the game but it has received attention in part because it kept the Steelers from covering the five-point spread on the game. According to one online estimate, by RJ Bell of Pregame.com, approximately $66 million had been wagered worldwide on the Steelers, compared to about $34 million on the Chargers.

That extra Steelers touchdown would have cost Vegas $32 million more had it counted. Steeler fans gamblers across the country are no doubt screaming in rage this morning. One blown call that had no impact on the outcome of the game and still cost millions of dollars. Why would this call be reversed.

Makes you wonder about the purity of sport when you look at the bottom line on this one.

Tags: NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?

Yesterday, Sage Rosenfels completed his campaign for team MVP; unfortunately, he was campaigning for the wrong team. So, I give to you the Most Valuable Player for the 2008 Indianapolis Colts: Sage Rosenfels.

You may ask, how can a guy who is not “officially” on the Colts roster earn such high praise? Let me present the evidence.

Exhibit A: October 5, 2008 – The Rosencopter

The Colts were facing a disastrous 1-3 start to their season and were 3 minutes and 50 seconds away from a sound beating at the hands of the Houston Texans. Just when Indianapolis fans were ready throw in the towel, on came Sage:

That’s right, Sage single-handedly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and rescued the Colts season. With reckless abandon, his love for the Colts shown threw as he spun high in the air; dropping the ball into the loving arms of Gary Brackett who scored a touchdown. But wait, that was not enough, Sage had do to more for his beloved Colts.

Sage bravely stepped to the line and rolled again to his left while extending the ball for anyone to grab. While it looked like he was trying to pass, we were not fooled. He bravely fumbled the ball and allowed the Colts to grab the lead from the Texans a few plays later.

But wait; there was still a chance for a come-back by Houston. That’s when Sage completed his masterpiece. He targeted Melvin Bullitt and threw the gameending interception to ensure the victory for his beloved Colts.

I know what you are saying, “Is that really enough for the MVP award?” With a loss, the Colts would have been 1-3 and living in the cellar of the AFC South, but is that really enough to pass the other 18 for MVP? Sage needed more.

Exhibit B: November 16, 2008 – 4th Quarter Glory

It was a hard-fought game and Sage had hidden his Colts love well. The battle continued back and forth for most of the game with the Colts finally taking the lead late in the 4th Quarter. That’s when Sage could no longer contain his love. With the Texans poised for a 4th quarter comeback, Sage spotted his favorite Colt receiver, Melvin Bullitt and drilled him with a perfect strike. Once again, Sage sealed victory for the Colts and propelled them toward the playoffs.

Bravo Sage, you are clearly the most valuable Colt.

PS. Perhaps you should move to Indianapolis today. Don’t wait, go now.

Tags: NFL, Texans

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?

It’s the first week in November and Houston football fans are already starting to talk about draft order and who we can get with another top 10 pick. Yes, Houston football fans, welcome to the 7th year of the Houston Texans: Season of Shame. Another unexciting chapter in a franchise that fell out of the gate and has rolled around on the ground for seven years. Who knew the peak of this franchise would be the first game they ever played? It’s time once again to experience the shame that comes from rooting for a franchise that does everything right, but win games.

The Houston Texans are a bad team. The Houston Texans have bad players. The Houston Texans have awful coaches. The Houston Texans excel at shaming their fans, the “greatest fans in the NFL.”

I was sitting next to Ravens fans yesterday who flew in from Baltimore to see their team feast on the Texans. These are seasoned fans and they know football. They loved Houston, the stadium, the fans, the food, the clubs, and could not believed the level of hospitality shown by our football team. They then offered their condolences as they left; laughing all the way.

My wife said to me the stadium is great, the uniforms look good, they presentation and entertainment level are wonderful, why can’t they figure out how to play football here? Excellent question. We get an ‘A’ in everything but the play on the field. Sounds like putting lipstick on a pig again.

Admittedly, I’m frustrated and this rant is a way of coping with spending the money on season tickets and knowing I still have to go to more games this season. Oh no, we are going to be showcased on national television in a couple of weeks. What pride we will all feel that night when the Jaguars devour the Texans on Monday Night Football for the entire world to see. I’ll have a front-row seat for that action!

Mr. McNair, when will we get a good football team? I’m not looking for the Superbowl, just some victories. When will we stop worrying about what color uniforms we wear and start winning games? When will we realize how pathetic it is that we have to celebrate first downs?!?

As a fan, I have to believe that one day, we will be celebrating victories. For now, who can we get in the first round?

Tags: Houston Texans, NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?

The madness continues for Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders. First, they hire then fire coach Lane Kiffin. Now, the cut one of their best players

Raiders cornerback DeAngelo Hall was the first player released by team owner Al Davis on Wednesday, a move expected to trigger a major shakeup of Oakland’s roster.

Angered by the Raiders’ 2-6 start, Davis asked his front-office staff to explore the possibility of releasing several players. By releasing Hall, who was acquired from Atlanta before this season, the Raiders are washing their hands of a seven-year, $72 million contract after only eight games.

“I’ve never been in a situation where you cut one of the best players,” said safety Gibril Wilson, another of the team’s offseason acquisitions. “That’s strange to me. It’s almost like we’re throwing in the towel.”

Throwing in the towel? Yes, that is exactly what this sounds like. I can almost hear Al Davis saying, “We are not a good franchise, and we are losing money. Let’s cut salary as quickly as possible”.

The Raiders are a franchise with rabid fans and a storied past: they deserve better.

Perhaps Hall is not worth all that money:

In his eight games in Oakland, Hall was beaten 40 times for 552 yards on 66 passes thrown his way, according to data compiled by STATS LLC. He gave up more yards than any defender this season and was tied for third worst in catches allowed.

Hall said earlier this season it took him time to get used to Oakland’s man-to-man style of defense after being able to freelance frequently while playing zone with the Falcons. He had 17 interceptions in his four seasons in Atlanta, making the Pro Bowl in 2005 and ’06. He had three interceptions this year, but frequently got beaten on big plays.

Hall got about $8 million of his contract for playing in eight games. But by releasing him now, the Raiders can use some of the money they planned to give Hall to try to keep Asomugha.

$8 million for 8 games; that’s good work if you can find it. I suspect this is just the beginning of the Al Davis yard sale. Perhaps other teams can take advantage of a guy who clearly passed his prime over a decade ago. Good luck Raider fans.

Tags: NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?

This story is just to juicy too pass up. Apparently, as a motivational ploy, San Francisco 49ers Interim Head Coach Mike Singletary dropped his pants during last Sunday’s halftime speech:

Mike Singletary’s motivational message to the 49ers on Sunday in his inaugural game as head coach also included a visual aid.

When his team hit the Candlestick Park locker room at halftime trailing the Seahawks 20-3, Singletary called everyone to attention, dropped his pants and pointed to his rear end, to fully illustrate what the coach thought of his players’ performance.

According to a report that first aired on Phoenix-area radio XTRA-910, Singletary then berated the team for three to four minutes with his pants around his ankles.

Dropped his pants as a motivational ploy! In his first game as head coach! What was he trying to say, “If you don’t want to see this again, start playing better?” How about, “This too can happen to you if you don’t start playing better?” Or, “Do you think I could join Michael Jordan in a Haynes ad?” Seriously!?!? What makes a man decide to drop his pants in front of 53 football players as he is yelling at them?

According to Salkin, Singletary told the team at halftime: “We’re getting our tails whipped out there, now let’s get back out there.”

Singletary, whose team has a bye week, issued a statement: “I used my pants to illustrate that we were getting our tails whipped on Sunday and how humiliating that should feel for all of us. I needed to do something to dramatize my point; there were other ways I could have done it but I think this got the message across. I am excited about having the team back at practice on Monday so we can get back to work.”

Sorry, I have to borrow a message from the kids here…OMG! He used his pants to illustrate humiliation. This is a guy who used to be one of the most feared players in the league. As a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears in the 80s, he was regarded as the best there was; he would hit you and you would feel it for weeks to come. His intensity and tenacity were the stuff of legends. What does it say when a guy like that drops his pants in front of a team he is supposed to be leading?

Humiliating is a good word for the once-proud 49ers franchise and how their fans must now feel.

Tags: NFL

More misunderestimation

• Coffee Anyone?
• From Bad to Worse, Plaxico Burress is Done with the Giants for the Season
• New York Giants Receiver Plaxico Burress Surrenders to Police
• Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Dog Fighting Charge
• Was Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver’s Father Beaten by Houston Police?