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?