Big Ten, Big Bias

The Big Ten. Ohio State. Players receiving gifts in exchange for football-related services/items. Big-time suspensions, right? No bowl game for those dastardly players? Not exactly.

Five Ohio State football players, including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor, got five-game suspensions from the NCAA for trading autographed items for tattoos. The problem is, the suspensions do not include the Sugar Bowl, instead starting with the first (easy, out-of-conference) game next season. Even worse, all the players involved are juniors (read: they can go into the draft this year, avoiding all disciplinary action).

There's no doubt the NCAA panders to certain schools or conferences depending on the situation. Cam Newton wasn't suspended even though the rule explicitly states he should have been suspended. Why? Because the NCAA didn't want TCU in the National Championship Game. Again, why? Because TCU might have beaten Oregon, which would have completely turned the BCS world upside down. Besides, Cam Newton plays for Auburn, a team from a major conference.

While the Cam Newton fiasco is even more blatant than the situation with Ohio State, it's pretty obvious that the NCAA simply wants Terrelle Pryor and his cohorts to play in the Sugar Bowl. Otherwise, who would want to watch the Sugar Bowl between Arkansas and the Ohio State B-Team except Arkansas and Ohio State fans?

In the end, it's all about money. The Big Ten is not only an extremely rich (read: influential) conference, there are TV ratings, attendance, etc. to think about.

Of course, it could have been worse. If Texas had a few players trading autographs for tattoos, they probably would have gotten trophies instead of suspensions.

Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!

DeSean Ochocinco

Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is developing a reputation as an excessive celebrator. On Sunday, Jackson ran back a punt for a TD as time expired, putting the Eagles ahead of the Giants in a game that otherwise would have gone into overtime. At the end of the play, he ran parallel to the end zone for quite a distance, even though the clock already said :00. That's about as unsportsmanlike as it gets. This isn't an isolated incident, either; Jackson has a history of excessive celebrations that dates back to his high school days.

Of course, the NFL has also helped to created this problem with Jackson. Since they banned the interesting ways of celebrating, even going so far as to fine Chad Ochocinco for celebrating on the sideline, wide receivers rarely get their antics broadcast in highlight reels. So DeSean Jackson celebrates while (or just before) scoring a touchdown. Then the networks have to broadcast his moment of glory.

We don't mind the NFL banning the T.O., Joe Horn, and Ochocinco celebrations. Elaborate, preplanned celebrations by individual players have no place in team sports. DeSean Jackson's celebrations don't quite fit in that category, though, and while they're very unsportsmanlike, someday he's going to be clobbered from behind by Troy Polamalu and learn a very valuable lesson. The NFL has already tried to drain all the life out of game by enforcing rules in ways they were never intended to be enforced. Roger Goody-Two-Shoes should just keep his nose out of DeSean Jackson's celebrations. Jackson will eventually figure out that 1) nobody really cares and 2) his actions only hurt himself and his team.

If you're a New York Giants fan like us, we hope you've been distracted from their painful, embarrassing loss to the Eagles. If you're not, please stop laughing at us and the rest of the Giants' distraught fans.

Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!

Since Our Tempers Have Now Cooled...

We'd like to revisit Bo Pelini's tantrum in the Texas A&M game and postgame. Bo apologized in his press conference today, which makes things right again. He should not have provoked the refs into throwing a well-deserved unsportsmanlike conduct flag (coaches can't go around cussing out officials), but everybody makes mistakes; some people just make them on national television.

That being said, Bo's anger is completely understandable. Husker fans like us are fed up with the Big 12 refs, who have pummeled Nebraska with bad calls, no calls, and tweaked rules since the Big 12 Championship Game last year. The game against Texas A&M was about the worst game yet as far as the refs went. (Although it wasn't as bad as the Chiefs/Raiders NFL game a couple weeks ago... that was so bad it was funny.) Bo has just gotten to a point where he can't take it any more. Yes, Bo has gotten unsportsmanlike conduct penalites before, notably in sticking up for one of his players (we think it was Ndamukong Suh) in the Virginia Tech game two years ago. But Bo hasn't had one since... until Saturday, when his players were obviously getting targeted by the refs.

As far as his press conference goes, Bo should not have criticized Taylor Martinez as harshly as he did. (By the way, we have no problem with him shouting at Taylor on the sideline. Why is everyone making a big deal about that?) Did Taylor play well? Not at all. But the team was a heck of a lot better with him in the game than with Cody Green. Plus, Taylor was playing hurt. He didn't participate in practice today and showed up with a walking boot on his foot. (Incidentally, the walking boot was on his left foot, not his right foot... apparently his sprained right ankle is okay; his injury is on one of his left toes. Very confusing.)

In the end, Bo made a couple mistakes. But, frankly, it could be worse. Brad Childress handled the Brett Favre situation in a much worse way and got fired for it.

Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!