Play or Party?

Picture Courtesy via ESPN.com

Cleveland Browns started off the season 7-4 in the first 11 games. This was a great look on the season until Brian Hoyer begin to go into a slump and things were not looking good for the team and their running game. I'm not sure exactly happen but the season would make its turn but thing seemed to be different when the announcement was given that Josh Gordon would return after his suspension was over.

You would believe that Josh Gordon, the underpaid WR Pro-Bowl and 2013 NFL leader in receiving yards, would be a great addition to a team that was already heading the right direction to the playoffs. That idea would definitely not help because they would drop their next 5 games and things would definitely not look good when they would bring in Johnny Manziel. Even with showing flashes of greatness things would change for the team.

Now...THE REAL ISSUE. Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel because of their off the field situations. Manziel is said to be a player who doesn't take life serious enough to play in the NFL because of his constan partying and inability to stay out of the lime light. Josh Gordon was suspended before the season for failing drug test and was not able to clear the situation. It would seem as though, they would focus more on the season but there seem to be a more situation with the telescope on them.

Manziel, on a Friday decides to have a party and invites many others from the team. This would involve several players would would be suspended for not making it to practice and treatment the next day. The biggest comes with Josh Gordon attending and him being included with the suspension. Johnny Manziel's contract (4 year, $8.25M) is bigger than Gordon's (4 year, $5.3M). Gordon doesn't have much of his contract left, making over a little over a million. He has a workout clause that will earn him an extra $50K.

I'm not sure what the team is willing to do with these guys and especially because the party could have waited. There is a huge problem in Cleveland and the owner definitely seems to be looking forward to cutting ties with some of these guys including Josh Gordon. He feels nobody is bigger than the team and they can be let go if they are not willing to do their job. I hope this turns out right but the might be a cause that needs special outside attention because these guys are too talented to mess their career over.

Thoughts?

UAB Football Cut

UAB Football, Picture Courtesy via UAB Athletics Website

Athletics is a big thing when comes to the college experience. It's the driving force behind the connection the student body has with it's university. It drives people to support their school in many ways behind just the fact they get an education. Lately athletics have been changing drastically in colleges because of the realignment of the conferences and where schools are willing to relocate.

UAB seems to be dealing with a different situation because of what has just taken place. The President of UAB Football just announced that UAB will not have football anymore, which leaves a group of football players and coaches without an opportunity to continue their career. Money seems to be the issues with the program and they feel as though there is not need for this program to continue on the back of the university.

A video was just released about situation and it seems like players are really upset about the situation and this issue needs to be addressed. Senior Tight End Tristan Henderson addressed the situation directly to the President after the President made his announcement to the team. Not in his words but, he basically addressed in a 6 minute video captured, that this was unfair and they are being inconsiderate about the future of the boys who are still on this team. He was very upset and it seemed to be a bigger issues with the student body. People can't quite understand how the administration makes the money they do and the program must suffer. This leaves football players without opportunities to do what they love and maybe without scholarships.



I can only wonder what will happen later with the focus of these players now are on their futures. What if there was no other option for them to play somewhere else? How do you deal with a situation when you were dedicated to a school for years and now you go back to trying to figure out what you will do for yourself? 

Hands Up!

St. Louis Rams Demonstration, Picture Courtesy of NBC News

Lately, race has not just been something that exist in this world as a underground subject. It has surfaced and not just in the way that people pay attention to it but people are taking action. There was a time in this world where athletes had to take stands in society to give a face and recognition to a personable subject that relates to athletes. Race is a target subject that takes place in all sports and currently in the United States, there are situations that are happening too often that seem to not get enough attention to stop the situation.
What does it take to stop a situation where Blacks are murdered in their communities? I'm not touching on right or wrong in this subject, but the object is for their to be awareness. We always find ways to talk about situations but who are the people that can help with the situations at hand?

On June 4th, 1967, some of the top black athletes, including Jim Brown, Muhammad Ali, Lew Alcindor and Bill Russell all came together in support of Ali going against the idea of joining the military. Those athletes had an idea and took things in their hands regardless of the the support. Most people would call Ali, disrespectful and non-patriotic. Ali's mindset was to not stand for something he didn't believe in, going along with his religion as a Muslim.

We can talk about how much Ali, may have not taken any consideration for the country and that idea is definitely understandable, but if there is not fight, where do we stand? Do we stand in a society where the only time it matters is when Blacks pride themselves on something patriotic or can we stand for our skin.

The 2 most popular sports in America are dominated in % by Blacks. Blacks, who most have come from different situations where there was no support and other opportunity to succeed and make a difference but through athletics. It might not be understood but those 5 (Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Chris Givens, Kenny Britt and Jared Cook), took a chance with something to draw attention. No, it was not the entire team and I'm not sure if the entire team would have stood for that, but the "HANDS UP" situation seemed to be very important to them.

St. Louis Police Association felt someway about the gesture yesterday on 11/30/14 and because they felt that it could have created a hostile situation, they requested that the NFL discipline the football players. Their request was denied and it looks like the NFL is leaving this sensitive subject alone. This keeps from supporting the gesture or going against it.

Can this form of support for a situation be a huge lift for the communities? Can this draw enough attention so it makes a difference? What will it take for organizations like the NFL to stand up for situations like so that people can help with the cause? They stand up for Cancer, Aids, ALS, Obesity, Domestic Violence and other things that affect the world that surrounds these athletes. Should they avoid this because there is a percentage of people in the NFL that feel offended if they do stand with one side?

NBA Division Changes

Adam Silver NBA Commissioner, Photo Courtesy of Business Insider

Not sure what the world thinks about changes but in this world that we live in, it's the only way we will be able to survive. There's a key question though, should divisions continue in the NBA or should there be any change. People have come to the table worrying about the balance of the divisions and opportunity the league can provide for fans. A better question I think about, if the change of divisions happens, does it take away from the NBA fanatic spirit?

Lately, the West has been dominating the NBA and it because of the consistent abilities to draw free agents and also being able to pick pieces from the NBA draft that work. The East has had the focus on the draft spectrum that the projected mockery created. They are more interested in the big name (so called) athletes vs. understanding what it takes to build a team aka "Just find a player who knows how to play the game instead of potential".

Now that we realize the East is falling short and coming up with the idea of tanking (I won't say any names), what should the league do? Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is the considered one of the biggest genius in business today. He has been able to create mogul moves instead of innovating them. He's highly respected because of his "I don't care" attitude when he is fined for standing up for what he believes in. He doesn't care what is said about the NBA, he has his own ideas. Lately, he feels some of the West teams should be moved to the east, since people can not come to an agreement about being able to challenge the west.

Cuban's idea consist of moving the HOUSTON ROCKETS, DALLAS MAVERICKS, SAN ANTONIO SPURS AND NEW ORLEANS PELICANS to the east and shifting CHICAGO BULLS, DETROIT PISTONS, MILWAUKEE BUCKS, AND INDIANA PACERS to the west. Sounds interesting?... Not really but there is some thought behind it that makes some sense. Last year Cuban's Mavericks were the last seed in the Western playoffs but with a record that if they were in the east would have been the 3rd seed. The NBA playoffs have not been interesting for the first 2 rounds lately and people want to see the best team.

Do you think this takes away from rivalries? Or maybe there was never one in the first place since Jordan retired out the league. Another idea put out there is, maybe just take the best 16 teams and roll with that for the playoffs. It definitely would keep things interesting so people can watch the best players and we won't have to worry about those below average teams finding themselves in position to make the playoffs.

I read another interesting article that could also help the situation with alignment via sbnations. It involves and regional situation where the league becomes more balanced and guys are so much closer. It reveals 5 regions and we get rid of conferences all together. Which honestly, makes some really good sense. Here's the article http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/11/26/7280545/nba-schedule-reform-regions-map-playoffs ... Check it out.

5 Region NBA, Picture Courtesy of SBNATION

Regardless of whatever, there definitely needs to be some changes and this is the time for the NBA to do so. 

Any fear of Overseas Play?

Brittney Griner, Picture Courtesy via NBA.com

WNBA players are a big piece to the process of building basketball globally. We don't always understand the factors that basketball presents to the world globally, but we are definitely feeling it's effects. Women basketball players all over the world is this continuing group of people that are trying to get the opportunity to make sure they get the attention as much as the men, respectively. When the WNBA first started, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoops, and Rebecca Lobo were the women who fronted the league as the marketing faces. Now after 18 years, the league's attention has grown in a large margin.

The WNBA players have been able to get noticed on a large stage because of their ability to increase play. This increase play started with the idea that women will be able to play above the rim. Playing above the rim started being noticed when Lisa Leslie decided to start dunking in games. Later through the time came Candace Parker, who was the big time athlete from Illinois and set the national scene on fire with attention of females high school basketball players.

Now after all the different success stories that have come from female basketball, there is still a huge question...Why do these females still continue to go overseas and play basketball? Sure, there are many opportunities with income overseas, but is there a balance for doing so. The idea that you will be playing basketball all year long (excluding a very short period between leagues), violent threats, long and short term health?

Brittney Griner, 6'8'' C for the Phoenix Mercury, just so happen to get involved with a situation where a man tried to stab her with a knife in China. She was not injured but the threat definitely is shake for the WNBA phenom. The idea that the biggest product could be hurt away from home is definitely a shocking thing to think about. I'm not sure if the league will address this situation to get her away from something like this but the the constant thought about the money made is definitely the reasoning why she would continue to travel for play.

WNBA players make anywhere between $36,000 to $105,000. Griner was able to make $49,000 in a 2013 contract but now we look at the situation about how can the WNBA make up for the $600,000 she earned in 3 months in China. They can't do this but with the WNBA being a bigger and better league, they have to find a way to make up the margin because, there's no telling what those women face away from home.

Is this really a issues or isolated incident? Should the WNBA be worried about their elite athletes playing overseas? 

Worth the Money?

Nick Saban, Picture Courtesy of blacksportsonline.com

What's the most you ever paid for something you really love? Something so good and so great that you can't picture living without. Sometimes as people we get caught up in the idea that some things are worth dying for. We make exceptions and it could cost us everything. Do you ever think about that thing you paid whatever for and realized, it might have been that great of an investment?

Nick Saban is the 4 time national champion (LSU-1, Alabama-3) that is known for his ability to recruit some of the best talents to his SEC power houses. Nick is known as the genius that gave the SEC the forth running with power in conferences across the country. We know that there are different teams in the SEC that are really good, but Saban has been able to create that gap between being good to Legendary. His legacy with Alabama has overlapped any thoughts about him ever coaching LSU.

The question people should ask is, what do people not know about Saban. Nick Saban was a one year player at Kent State, where he learned how to create a team based on defensive intensity with becoming a GA there under his head coach. Saban after struggling with the Miami Dolphins, came back to Alabama and became one of the highest paid coaches in college history.

 Nick Saban would sign for $32 million for 8 years with Alabama, only thing is, that doesn't account for all the extra money that he has earned in incentives. The thing that people don't realize is, we don't know what those incentives really are but he definitely has earned his fair share. It was just reported that an organization of Alabama have been paying some extra bills for Saban. The Crimson Tide Foundation has been able to give out $3.1 millions for his home and paying for the taxes on the home every year.

It is said that the organization is not obligated to do this duty but has done so. So now people ask, is it illegal?... No, is the answer. Based on the NCAA, a coach's compensation is allowed from a university foundation. It's noted that it's normal for universities to own their coaches homes, cars and etc. for their living.

Why can't these funds go to the players? Why does so much have to go to the coach? Isn't Saban's $7 million a year enough? The NCAA is going through a tough time right now, trying to figure out what is acceptable for the players. Money is definitely a topic that will continue to be brought up as long as it involves what these coaches are getting vs. what the players are offered. Don't take away the work Saban has been able to put in, but this is a topic that should be thought about. How much is ENOUGH?

How about Serena!

Serena Williams, Picture Courtesy of WTAFinals.com

Nothing beats winning, but when you can do it over and over and over and over again. You only wonder how dominate are you? Comparisons are always done and people like to have an image like the one we see above, but there has to be a difference when you are talking about somebody that continues to win. Women in sports has always been a topic that people have to try and figure out who's the lady out there that will grab the attention of the world for their respective sport?

Everybody by now, pretty much knows Serena Williams. The 33 year old African American who has taken Tennis by storm. Her career started in 1995 but had troubles up until 1999 trying to get her feet underneath her. She would win matches but find herself losing control when the games got tough. Her young stage of life didn't seem to be the best of her but everybody would realize how great she was in 1997. In 1997, she was able to defeat Mary Pierce, who was ranked #7 in the world. In 1998, she would begin to be a target in the big matches internationally. This would be her international beginning of her brand and ability to draw attention.

Her sister Venus Williams, who is definitely no breeze-over, has been able to grab attention also on a large market. Venus started her career a year before and was able to have success within 3 years with cracking the top 50 in the world. By the end of 1997, Venus would be 22nd in the world. Venus and Serena would go on to face each other many times in their career and do some things with tennis that would change the world.

Up to date... Serena has been and looks to continue to be everything in the world. We can talk about Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter, Michael Phelps, and a few others in their dominating respects but I don't think we value or understand what Serena brings. Serena not only the face of tennis but she is the face of female athletes.  She has been able to have fans from so many different backgrounds and has grabbed attention with her ability to stay number 1 in the world for so long.

Today was Serena's third title at WTA and she was able to dominate it in a 6-3, 6-0 fashion. Serena was able to earn another $2.04 million today winning against the #4 ranked Simona Halep. She ranks #1 in earnings of all time female athletes in their perspective sports with over $60 million under her belt. She earns around $11 million in endorsements and is the face of Nike Female Tennis. Serena brings an element of notoriety throughout a diverse community. I know a lot of different people will disagree throughout time but you definitely have to check all the different things that Serena has been able to do for female athletes.

Losing Ground (Sports Apparel Brands)

Sports Apparel Stats, Courtesy of Market Watch

Ask yourself something...What do you really know about Germany? Most people only know that the country sits in Europe and barely that. Germany is a location in Europe that has 80 million people strong. This country has a large history that involves some ups and downs but has always been a country that involves the world. This country is the 4th largest amongst economies via nominal GDP and the 5th amongst purchasing power parity. Germany is the 3rd largest importer and exporter of goods but lately, the goods have not shown on the state line.
According to The Economist (http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21625784-german-government-should-invest-money-infrastructure-not-worry-about-balancing-its), Germany is losing ground on the industrial world for production. I'm not sure if they are factoring Adidas, but Adidas is following the trend with the rest of Germany. Yes, the German based large company, Adidas, known for it's ability to penetrate America and draw attention to running and soccer is losing ground and fast.

Adidas has always been known for it's ability to create opportunities for the world internationally but has not been able to impress America lately. In the latest power for power sports brands, Under Armour has taken over the spot of Adidas at number 2. Adidas based on research has been losing ground because of many different factors. Why? you might ask. Adidas being an international experience is something that you can never take away from the brand and that made the brand a success, but it just doesn't work anymore in modern technology. Adidas has not been able to sale shoes in the basketball experience and it didn't make it any better with them sponsoring the World Cup and not getting the refund on the back end.

Nike was able to attack Adidas which helped Under Armour in a large way. Nike was able to have the most players (a large %) wear their product during the time of the world cup. Nike has been able to make their power moves with product innovation, selection and marketing.

These are the 3 things that Adidas seem to be missing out on, which contributes to the decline. As far as the innovation part, Nike has been able to grab technology in their product to set themselves apart from others. They release the highest percent of technology in products with some of the highest products in the world, including their join venture with Apple with Nike+. Selection is a struggle because the people that they have working with their product are mainly German based and everybody knows that, even with the debt of America, the world loves a good old fashion American based invention. Adidas decided to take on Reebok, who has done nothing but lose market shares every year since they came under Adidas. A product cleared by American hands with the support of international ideas can and will always be a good selection. This seems to be a selection that Adidas has stepped back from. The products of Adidas are too slow and have too much of traditional focus, rather than focusing on attracting the modern world. Last but not least, marketing. Nike spends a large majority of their time focusing on getting their players, product and teams, the right marketing at the right time. They don't waste opportunities to strike at a mastermind and Under Armour has been doing the same with the football experience and advanced fitness training.

Adidas seems to have taken their foot off the largest element of the international experience with a sports apparel brand. Adidas definitely has some things that they could use on their side and one of the biggest moves they have made recently was going over some Nike designers and getting them to work for them. Also they ware opening a creative design studio in Brooklyn. The accessibility of the headquarters might not seem like much but with the opportunity being so large in America, there really isn't much that stops Under Amour and Nike from increasing their margin from Adidas if they don't pick up the pace.

Short Season

LeBron James, Picture Courtesy of CBSSports

In 2011-12, the NBA had trouble with keeping the season from going into a big crisis. It seemed as though, the NBAPA was not happy and the owners fell in line with being disappointed also. There was a struggle with trying to get contracts with the CBA on one accord and it took away some of the product that reached what we see today. This crisis seemed to not bother players actually as much as they thought. Why didn't it bother the players as much?... 2 words... Shorter season. Those players that were under contract were already in good status because the new CBA would not affect them in any way. The players that didn't have contracts needed to find out what was going to take place for their future.

Having to make a decision based off of not knowing is always a tough situation. The idea is to get everything needed in your favor, so when the options come around you can make a decision before others make a decision for you. This forced a lot of players to make a move to different borders so that they could earn some income immediately. Players would even negotiate that if things work back out in a timely fashion that they would return to the states to play in the NBA, no matter what the overseas contract stated.

LeBron James has been making a lot of noise lately with the different decisions that he has made and I guess we can't expect anything less from the genius himself. He has found ways to explore different venture and express his concerns with league. "Not sure if anybody is paying attention, but it sounds like he's getting ready for ownership". LeBron has been named the most powerful athlete in the world for the 2013-14 and it looks as though, he's taking that power and using it for some good.

LeBron recently stated that he would like the season to be shorter. How much shorter, you ask? How about a model like the 66 games that were played during the shortened season of "11-12". Now why would LeBron want a shorter season? Product control seems to be the idea of that. The idea is to be able to keep the high elite talent on the floor without damaging the image of the league. You definitely want to be able to give cities the opportunities to see their favorite players but you also want to be able to have quality product. Players lately have been taking off games because of their injuries, personal issues or just because of the fact the coaches want it to get that team ready for the playoffs.

The decision does fall in the hands of the owners and there is no telling what will happen but I'm definitely interested in seeing a product that's as perfect as possible. Nobody wants to continue to watch boring games with back up players in. The league will also be testing out a new theory of a 44 minute game. LeBron states that it's not about the minutes of the game because more minutes provides the opportunity for a game to be interesting but there is not reason to shorten a game. CJ McCullom stated that if they shorten the time, it would take away from the product and hurt the brand. The reason is because the role for the role players would decrease which hurts the time that players would be able to play on the floor.

There is no telling where the NBA game is going, but it seems like everybody has so many ideas, especially with the Silver at the top and the changes of the teams and owners. The players are really interested in making a difference for the better but I guess it's best to just watch them try and work things out.

Brand Recruiting

Coach Pitino (Louisville), Picture Courtesy of Complex.com

 College Basketball is on the rise, and not just because of it's player or the game itself. College Basketball has always been surrounded by money but never like this before. The contracts are getting bigger and seem to be warning labels in many ways. The affect of that label could cost coaches these days and there seems to be a big struggle between different labels because of loyalty.

Imagine you live in NYC and because of that you decide to go to St. John's University just because you are from NYC. Well...It's sort of like that anyway right now, it's just with the different sneaker apparels. Nike, Under Armour and Adidas have college basketball in a headlock, almost literally. These 3 different sneaker apparels are the huge elements that make up a large backbone for college programs, not for just basketball but all sports. That backbone could be the reason that a player might not attend a certain program

The biggest connections are the AAU programs. The AAU programs have so much loyalty and with that loyalty comes value. If a certain AAU program can find that top player, then they might have a leg up on what is provided for the future. Most of the AAU programs that have been elite, have been elite for years. Those programs such as Boo Williams, BABC, Team Final, Baltimore Elite, NJ Playaz, Grassroots Canada have been around ever since I first got involved with grassroots basketball. Now with the additions of programs such as WR1 and King James (just to name a few), the money is become even more reachable.

So now the connection builds because you have AAU programs who get money and apparel from Nike, Adidas and Under Armour. Of course Nike is the biggest of them all controlling well over 50% of the market but there's always going to be a dog fight for players. The dog fight comes because Nike has their universities/colleges that they sponsor and those schools amongst themselves are trying to get the best players they can. Kentucky has been winning the battle with recruiting ever since Calipari came to Lexington. He created a large avenue for Nike to do some things with the program and also help launch players in the NBA draft.

Now that we have everything down to size, here comes Pitino. Legendary Coach Pitino is not happy at all. Pitino was having problems with getting the top players in the country and it made him upset because that's now how it use to be. He realizes that in today's generation, you can't just recruit to recruit, you have to recruit based on factors. The biggest factor seems like the loyal of players to their AAU programs and not their parents. Those AAU programs because they have the elite players, they have the elite contracts with those brands. So now AAU programs because of their contracts with these brands get their players to go to their brand schools.

Pitino's Louisville Cardinals have a $39 million contract with Adidas. He also has his own deal with the brand but he claims that the pot of players he can pick from has shrink. In Pitino realizing that, he now focuses on players based on their values and try to go after players that he knows are not affected by that value system. Pitino suggest that the NCAA should have all control and the apparels should be out of the deal financially for all programs (AAU and NCAA).

What's your Net Worth? (NBA Salary Cap)

LeBron James, Picture Courtesy of blog.sharpie.com

You ever work at a job and feel like you never get you fair share of the pie with the production that you have been giving out? I think this is a large majority of the work America. People tend to put in their hard hours everyday to make sure that a company can expand their revenue. The question people keep asking is, how fair is it when you continue to see your production add a maximizing value to a company and your fair share isn't even close to increasing.

The NBA has been tricky with their revenue because they have been able to compensate for certain areas with pay but also take away different opportunities for players because of their CBA (collective bargaining agreement). The CBA states that no one player can maximize their earnings past 35%. The CBA also states that there are opportunities for full guaranteed contracts. The NBA has not only provided a shift with the CBA but the players for the last 16 years have been trying to find ways of keeping themselves away from lockouts.

Money will always be the big target of focus for the any organization. People want their fair share but the golden idea for most companies are, how can I maximize my profit with having people work without having to give up as much so that I can keep it for myself. Over decades people have found ways around the loops and then ended up in court to do more negotiating because they want rights as laborers. So, the NBA and the players tarnish the game because they are more interested in finding ways to make their worth.

No doubt in my mind have I been blessed to see some of the greatest players off all time in Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O'Neal. These guys have all earned their due in the NBA and continued to entertain at the highest level. They have been able to get the right support behind them and earn as much money as they are able to do so. Well....Not actually. Based on a recent study through different sports management programs in the country, players are well underpaid. As the generations continue to flow in, the game of basketball continues to grow globally. As it grows globally, there's more access to funds to help build the brand and keep the net value of a league at an ultimate high.

The LA Clippers have shown that the party will continue to grow as they were just sold for over $2 Billion to owner who was banned for racial comments. If the LA Clippers, who have never won a title but have some of the most electric players in the world are worth that kind of money for a franchise, what kind of money are we talking about for other teams such as the LA Lakers, NY Knicks and Boston Celtics. Time will only tell but there is definitely a rise behind the idea of being able to sale a team for more money than it was worth. The idea that people will earn 300+% profit is very close to happening, especially when franchises only worth 700 million go for 2 Billion.

The NBA just got a new TV contract worth $24 Billion. Sounds crazy, well it is when the pie just got bigger but nobody's really getting a bigger slice except for the owners. I guess Adam Silver and David Stern have been really doing their job and worth every penny of their large amount salary, that reaches a number hire than 80% of the players in what they make per year.

Players should be scared, but I guess LeBron is ready to take a step. He just signed for a short deal with the Cavs and realize how much more money he could get. He's made over $300 million in endorsements but hasn't quite yet reached over $150 million in NBA game money. Michael Jordan is still the highest paid NBA player for one season but was highly underpaid for his career. His numbers were amazing off the court but is it fair to say that the NBA got off cheap only making over $5 million in his career twice, which happen to be 2 largest contract years, well over $30 million.

So now what, the market is much bigger, LeBron is a bigger icon and he's hasn't even begin to reach even close numbers to Michael Jordan. Believe it or not, because the game is more global, LeBron has drawn more attention than any player in the NBA history during his playing career. Think about it...LeBron was able to almost shut down the entire city of Cleveland after he left the team in 2010 by himself, losing an enormous income of over $100 million in a very short span. He did all of this by just saying he was going to Miami.

LeBron could easily without a cap get paid around $40 to $70 million a year. Some analyst have even said that he is worth about $100 million a year to play on the court. Kobe calls out the NBA on the new contract and LeBron and other would definitely like to see the change of the salary cap in the NBA but what's the risk. NBA Owners have already expressed that if done, they will make sure the money is not guaranteed. Only time will tell what will happen but whatever we see in the next few years, I know the players with some brains will find out a way, even when the people who pay the bills will find ways of their own to still win. 

NBA Draft Combine (5 on 5 Play)

NBA Draft Combine, Picture Courtesy of Draftexpress.com

If everything good isn’t always agreed upon, does that make it a bad idea? ... Not necessarily. Lately the NBA Draft Combine hasn’t been a huge success because of the players not focusing their energy on that concept. Agents have been getting their players to think out of the box and figuring out a way that their player/s can shorten the time they spend on the court and find out ways to attract scouts. It seems like it’s been working but in doing that, it seems as though, it has taken a hit on the NBA Draft Combine experience.

The NBA Draft Combine was created so that player could showcase their talents and be individuals but also have some training against some of the best in the same room. With the concept like recruiting, it seemed like the right thing to do. I guess not because now, the NBA Draft Combine lately since 2009 decided that they would implement the concept of NFL Draft Combine. They would get more skill training than anything and see what guys would participate in because it seems as though the top prospects were no longer interested in the formula of 5 on 5 play. 

I guess we can all understand the reason of not wanting to do the 5 on 5 play because, nobody wants to see anybody get injured. Adam Silver has decided to change this whole concept back to the format, somewhat of having 5 on 5 play. Based on attendance, things were not getting better but guys were not being able to be seen in the large spectrum because there was no competition against guys in their talent. Now the NBA Draft Combine is such a focus for the product to improve and the fact it’s on TV, why lose out for the fans to get to see 60 of the top prospects go at it in 5 on 5 competitions at the combine.

In 2012 and 2013, 22 players refused to participate in drills, which hurt the future prospects on the further years because now, they feel their stock won’t be hurt. Last year, 3 of the top 5 draft picks skipped the combine completely while others were just holding off for physical measurements and refused to do anything else. So for the players that will attend the combine and need that extra boost in their stock, prayerfully it’ll be a help in the long run because they’ll have the opportunity to face off against each other.

NFL Division (Realignment & Changes)

NFL Divisions; Courtesy of NFLpro.net

Ever think about the NFL and it's divisions. I know my write ups are normally dealing with Sports Business but I also have other things in mind that can be outside the box. This is definitely one thing that could be outside the box but related in some way to the understanding of financial relationships between teams. Leagues normally find ways to create opportunities for teams to have battled rivalries because it creates more avenues for financial benefits for that league. So... in that regard, the league seems to be missing a few points with the divisions being so awkwardly positioned that they could add more money if they were aligned differently.

Think about it, the league already has a large fan base and I know that tradition is huge but there's always room to remodel and grow. There's no telling how much longer Roger Goodell will be at the front of the league because of certain situations lately, but he definitely could make a power move for teams to move around. The NFC to me is a little bit better shape than the AFC because they have more teams aligned to work out than they do. The moves that need to be made could save on travel time and opportunity for future growth with closer fan base. Fans would be able to travel closer and make more games. Fans would purchase more items and look forward to something new.

Division Re-alignment (without switching teams out conferences):

AFC East:  Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC North: Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills
AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins
AFC West: Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs

NFC East:  Philadelphia Eagles, NY Giants, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers
NFC North: Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Bucs, Dallas Cowboys
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, San Fran 49ers, Arizona Cardinals

---Just throwing in a BONUS because of how bad the Pro Bowl is now...How about the Pro Bowl be the case point on which team gets home field advantage for the Super Bowl. So, depending on who wins the Pro Bowl will get home field advantage (if wanted) or a field that is close to them that permits better climate (such as a dome or acceptable climate).---

Philly (Metro) Draft Day (My Top NBA Prospects 2014-15)

Looking forward the college basketball season and finding out who's who and what's what. There are definitely some top prospects from Philly that will have the opportunity to raise their stock in the opportunity to get drafted or become NBA players. It's not everyday that everybody gets the opportunity to make a case for themselves but I have a few names that will definitely make their cases.

Jerrell Wright (LaSalle University)

In the Local area at the top of my list is Jerrell Wright (LaSalle-PF-6'8")... Checking out Wright has been fantastic because for the last 3 years, he has turned LaSalle University into a place to watch basketball. Who could ever forget the trip to the Sweet 16 and making his statement in the tournament having the highest field goal % in college basketball history with any play having more than 3 games, shooting well over 80%. He not only set a record but also scored 21 points going 6-6 from the field and 9-10 against Kansas State in the second round of the tourney. Past and Present success has everything to do with being an NBA player and he has shown that he can definitely make his statement. He has been honored on different all conference teams and also nominated this season as high prospect for player of the year in the A10. He's ranked is ranked 53 in his class on the Draftboard for NBA Draft Express and I expect his time on the floor which has definitely taken away from his numbers will show a huge improvement. I expect anywhere from 32-36 minutes a game where he'll get the opportunity to shoot for a double double season.

This summer DJ Newbill (Penn State-G-6'4") has been probably the most busiest for Philly prospects. Coming from high school, his story was a little different than many, but he's made the best from his opportunities. Newbill was blessed with the opportunity to attend the skills camps this summer for Nike which features some of the top high school and college prospects in the country. Newbill's resume as been outstanding starting with Southern Miss, where he was all freshmen conference before transferring to Penn State. At Penn State, he came in and made an immediate impact in the Big 10 averaging 16.3 ppg at 36 mpg. Last season, he was able to increase the scoring production with 17.9 ppg and less minutes. He showed the ability to be efficient and come up big when needed. He's an exciting tool that shows potential with his ability to see the floor and make the team so much better. With a trip to the tournament this year, he could definitely see his stock go from where it is, to a definite...We already know the numbers are there.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona-6'7"-SF) attended the LeBron skills camp this summer under Nike and was able to show off his ability to play anywhere on the floor. He's known to have the engine that everybody loves. He's at the top of the board for most people but I still like he has things he's definitely going to prove. He definitely has leadership qualities and he will be a huge contribution for whatever everybody is looking for. He was all freshmen conference for the PAC12 but that didn't take away from the potential that if he would have played more that he could have been more productive. He averaged 9.1 ppg last season in 25.3 mpg. He shot 49% from the field and grabbed 5.7 rpg. He's probably one of the most tough nose players that has ever been seen in the Philly area and there's no telling what he will do this year. He ranked as one of the top shot blockers and it showed knowing that he's a great defender and can lock any player in the country. He'll start all season this year and I wouldn't be surprised if he was the POY this year for his conference and an All American.

Markus Kennedy (SMU-PF-6'9") is a forward that makes it look easy to be his teammate. He focuses on the little things that big tend to miss on and marks his territory. Kennedy is ranked 42 amongst the Juniors coming back to play this year. His frame has really changed since his freshmen year when he was at Villanova and has shown his game for production. He ranked 5th in his conference in field goal % last season. Kennedy stretches the floor and make the game look easy for a big because of his athletic versatility. He can shoot the ball deep as well as post any player up and use smooth moves to the basket. He averaged 12.9 ppg and over 7 rpg. He also was able to get steals, assist and blocks. He's a strong case for AAC POY if he can find the ability to win consistently. I didn't mention the fact his coach is non other than the great Larry Brown and his development coach is George Lynch. He'll definitely build on the fact he's known as one of the greatest defensive big men in the country.

Amile Jefferson (Duke-PF-6'9") is in a really good place at Duke University. Coach K has been taking care of this player and it seems like he knows all the things to do in order to get the job done on the floor. I'm definitely excited to see what kind of player he will be this season. He's ranked 40th for the juniors and his stock could definitely raise up this season with some of the great talent to support him. He never seems to the be focus of the team but he does everything right. Last season was huge for him starting for the Blue Devils. He averaged 6.5 ppg in only 22 mpg but shot 64%. He had some outstanding games and rebounding and everybody knows, if you play for Coach K, the opportunity to play in the NBA will definitely be there.

Honorable Mention:
Savon Goodman (ASU-SF-6'7")
Jabril Trawick (Georgetown-SG-6'5")
Rysheed Jordan (St. John's-SG-6'3")

"Bruce Almighty" (Bruce Levenson)

Bruce Levenson: Picture Courtesy of USA Today

Bruce Almighty, a movie created in 2003 featuring Jim Carrey, written to give the perspective of what it would be like to be a man in God's shoes for some time. In actually sitting down and focusing on the movie, there's some strong points that are pointed out that make you think about society today. What if the shoes would be on the other foot. What would be like if you did have the power. Power is the ability to control something or someone into action. Sometimes, the opportunity of having power can overdo what we are able to distinguish is right and wrong.

In this situation of Bruce Almighty I am discussing, I talk about the idea that there is a man in power with lots of money. This Bruce Almighty has a city in his hands emotionally with the power to change things with his words.  Lately, one of the biggest targets in sports is racism. The different faces it presents towards the emotions of a race of people has really taken it's attention away from the game itself. Of course, mass media is going to take everything that is said make it a major news item but this is really a concern that can make a difference.

On, another hand, racial tension is building in America more than ever. The deaths of black youth in America via the hands of whites have become a huge issue. In the same thought, Barack Obama is the President of the United States and it feels like the pressure will continue until the fear of others will decrease. You have to ask yourself, why be afraid of others and what they can do. What kind of examples does that set for the next generation that has to continue to build on a country that seems to be lacking the ability to stay constant as in a growing world.

Donald Sterling, the former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, was the beginning of the frenzy that started in the sports world with racism. The idea that a human being of such wealth would come out to have words about African Americans not attending his games was not only the just the beginning but the force behind what we will continue to go through. Sterling would eventually lose his battle between his wife, lawyers and the NFL with the result in giving up his team. The price would be 2 Billion that he would receive in return but would be banned from the NBA for life.

Well, Bruce Almighty (in my thoughts) would appear again when Bruce Levenson, the owner of the Atlanta Hawks who has come out stating that he would be selling his team. The owner, announced on his own that he had made some remarks that were found racist in his eyes and didn't feel that he should be allowed to be apart of the NBA. His remarks were that they wanted to bring more suburban white people to the games. The idea that the majority of fans are Black, seemed to be not only an issue but a concern because he claimed that he wanted to connect all groups of people. In return, he felt that the 2 year old email to Hawks President Danny Ferry, would be offensive because it would make it seem like one race was more important than another.

Not sure if the 62 year old owner is making references to himself as a racist or if he is trying to keep his legacy in tact because of what he felt would have been revealed very soon. I guess it seems like Sterling has got many people under the radar and watching their backs about everything. Everything is sensitive with words and with the mass media on top of everything, you have to be very careful. The questions I pose is, are we really suppose to be surprised about these actions? Is it really that big of deal because of their idea of what they are trying to do with their business?

If you are looking for the email to see what was exactly said, Please check out the article by USA Today Sports via http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/hawks/2014/09/07/bruce-levenson-racist-email-atlanta-owner-sell-team/15241591/

Homosexuality in Sports...A Distraction?

Jason Collins Picture Courtesy of Yahoo Sports

Everybody these days continue to be scared of the elephant of the room. 1 problem against that idea!... The elephant isn't scared of the size of the room and doesn't plan on shrinking any time soon. The elephant name is Homosexuality or what others like to call "Gay". In the past 2 years, homosexuality has become a stage in athletics. It has created large eye popping situation for people around the world that live on both sides of this support fence.

In April of 2013, Jason Collins, did not become the beginning of homosexuality in sports. He became an icon on a enormous stage for this 3 letter word.."Gay" in sports. Jason is the twin brother of Jarron, who became an NBA player in 2001 and has been in the league ever since. He became the first actively open gay player in the NBA which happened in 2014 when he joined the Brooklyn Nets and worked through 2 10 day contracts to get a roster spot for the rest of the season. Collins not only signed with Brooklyn but sold a large number of jerseys on the way.

Michael Sam Picture Courtesy of CBS Sports

The Brooklyn Nets jumped in popularity and brought a large majority crowd of homosexual supporters. He became the face until Michael Sam. Michael Sam in February of 2014 made the announcement after a outstanding college senior season when he won Co-Defensive player of the year for the SEC. After the combine, he entered the conversation of a player that would drop in stock. Usually the Defensive POY for the SEC goes in the 1st round of the draft and this didn't seem like the case for him. He became the face of a player just wanting to play football but had the stage to state his case as an open Gay player in the NFL.

During the 2014 NFL Draft, Sam became the talk of the town. People wanted to hear his story but the story would not help his draft stock. He was drafted late in the 7th round to the St. Louis Rams that had some of the best defensive lineman in the league. He would perform during preseason but be cut by the St. Louis Rams. This would come even though, Sam would sale a large number of jersey, ranking him 6th in the NFL.

Now...Does this draw the world distraction? These 2 guys are the biggest 2 on the stage of athletes with homosexuality. The thing about their career is, it's not staying on a steady pace. The idea of having a player around a male dominate locker room who is homosexual seems to be the topic. There are so many teams that are passing on both players and they seem to not have a place in athletics with the feeling that the distraction will become bigger than the game itself. It has been noted for both players that they will be judged on their game alone and the decision for their career will rest solely on that.

There has since been other players in different worlds that have come out and helped the cause for homosexuality in sports such as Brittney Griner and Chip Sarafin. Will this trend of announcing your homosexuality in sports continue? Is it important to know that athletes are homosexual? Will homosexual players get a fair share with their career? Is the word distraction correct for homosexuality in sports? Should homosexuality be allowed to be promoted through sport? Is the world of sports ready for homosexuality?

Philadelphia Local MBB Assistant Coaching: New Generation

Geoff Arnold Picture courtesy of Saint Joseph's Basketball Website

Better done than said, "Behind every great organization, there's a bunch of even greater guys helping the job get done".

Men's Basketball in Philadelphia is Elite, probably one of the most prestigious elements of basketball. Why, you may ask? Philadelphia has it's own league in the Big 5, not including Drexel University, who many feel should be added to make the Big 6.

So what's the key in these programs having so much success. All 6 of these programs in the last 15 years have all had their share of success with their men basketball teams. It seems like if it's not 2 teams at a time, there is always 1. At the top of the list is Villanova. Villanova has had some of the most dominating guards in the country in Kyle Lowry, Randy Foye, Allen Ray, Maalik Wayns, Corey Fisher and I could go on and on. Recruiting is a big part of that and the connection that you build is a reason. Lately, Villanova hasn't had the same spunk as they did during their big runs. Reason being is it seems that they have lost touch with recruiting, but that seemed to be a high priority and with a problem comes an idea. Coach Wright of Villanova has recognized that and has brought in one of Philadelphia's favorite assistant coaches Ashley Howard.

Ashley Howard Picture courtesy of Villanova Men's Basketball Website

Ashley Howard started off his career at LaSalle University and then went off to Drexel University and then made a shift to Xavier to come back to the Philadelphia area for Villanova. He is known as the guy that can get the job done. No matter what is asked of him, he never seems to be less than what is expected. This brings me to Drexel University. Even though, Drexel University slightly missed their opportunity in the tournament a few years ago after winning 29 games a few years ago, they have had a coach in the last 15 years that has received the award of top coach 4 of those years. Coach Flint seems to recognizes talent and seems to do so in coaches, where his coaches are able to go off and do other things to boost their career. He has recently brought in the young talent of Bobby Jordan.

Bobby Jordan Picture courtesy of Drexel Men's Basketball Website

Bobby Jordan grew up in the Drexel program where he learned the ins and outs of being able to coach talent and make high school recruits believe in what direction the program is going. Jordan has the ability to make the best count and you could always tell that he would one day get himself into this area when he first stepped foot on Drexel's campus. Saint Joseph's University has Coach Geoff Arnold, who has been with the program for the last 6 years and has been able to bring in recruits such as Langston Galloway, who led his team into the NCAA Tournament this past year. Coach Arnold is a coaches' coach and gives everything in his craft. His skill of knowing how a team should be ran is among the best and it seems like he'll be the next one in line for his own program.

 

Aaron McKie Picture courtesy of Temple Men's Basketball Website

Temple University has just hired their biggest assistant coach in years in Aaron McKie, who left his post as an analyst with the Sixers to make moves with a college program. He has never coached in college but I don't think the transition will be hard for him. He is known for his years with Allen Iverson and Sixers, when he was the 6th Player of the Year and help lead the team to the NBA Finals. McKie will work on bringing in some great local talent and maximizing the opportunity of getting the program back into the NCAA spotlight.

Horace Owens Picture courtesy of LaSalle Men's Basketball Website

Ira Bowman seems to be the lead assistant for Penn where he has been there for his ability to coach players and relate his experience of being a pro to players. Bowman was known for his ability to fit into a solid role with his extraordinary set of skills. Bowman had a 2 year play at Penn in his years before going to Providence and it seems like he'll continue to help Coach Allen build that program. LaSalle University has Coach Horace Owens, who is known for his local connection to the city. Owens was a local prospect from Dobbins High School (My Alum...Smile) and was an All American that went on to Rhode Island and drafted into the NBA. He has a knack of bringing some of the best big men to LaSalle. No telling what the next step for him is, but he definitely will continue to have a great career in coaching.

Ira Bowman Picture courtesy of Penn Men's Basketball Website